Through Eyes of Flame
by Xennariel
Summary: The story of Fullmetal Alchemist told as if Roy and Riza were the main characters. Includes the years before and after the series. Slow Burn. Heavy on the Royai. Based on the manga, with just a bit of Brotherhood.
1. Prologue

**Prologue - Central City, 1895**

It was a quiet evening at Madame Christmas' Bar. The regular patrons had already filed out into the Autumn night, leaving a lone figure sitting at the bar nursing a glass of whisky on the rocks. The girls that worked and lived there retired to their rooms a while later after bidding the older gentleman a good night. Being friends with a woman like Chris Mustang certainly had its perks. Besides being privy to some of the juiciest information in Central, the man also got to spend time with some very lovely ladies. The same ladies that gathered and gave him said information, at a fairly steep price, of course. You can't get something for nothing, after all.

The windows rattled lightly as the wind picked up outside and a roll of thunder sounded, heralding the beginnings of a storm. The man finished his whisky as the last of the girls left for the evening, the older ones that didn't live with the Madame. They hurried out once they heard the thunder, hoping to get home before the rain started. With all of them having gone to bed or back home, Madame Christmas finally directed her attention to the man remaining at the empty bar.

"Good to see you tonight, Major General."

Grumman grinned and fiddled with his mustache.

"Likewise, Madame. The girls are lively and lovely as ever."

Chris chuckled and refilled Grumman's glass.

"On the house, my friend."

Grumman lifted his glass in thanks and took a sip. Chris nodded and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, but before she could light one, the door to the upper floors of the bar opened and a little boy with a mop of black hair shuffled toward them, yawning.

"Aunt Chris?"

"What are you doing up, Roy-boy?" she answered him, putting her cigarettes back into the drawer behind the bar where she kept them.

Roy noticed Major General Grumman and stopped walking toward his aunt. He straightened up and noticeably became a little nervous.

"Oh! S...sorry! I didn't know anyone was still here."

He scurried back to the door in an attempt to retreat. He was not supposed to be down here, especially when there were customers.

"It's fine." his aunt reassured him and Roy relaxed, walking back to her. "What's wrong, Roy-boy?"

Roy shrugged and looked at his feet.

"Nightmare." he replied after a few moments of deliberation. He seemed embarrassed to say anything, especially with a man he didn't know very well in the room. "I had a nightmare and I can't go back to sleep because of the thunder…"

He didn't need to elaborate any more. Chris knew that thunderstorms made him nervous. His parents died in a car crash in the middle of a storm five years prior and the boy had been afraid of thunder ever since.

"It's fine, go get yourself a glass of milk and come back."

Roy nodded and all but ran to the kitchen in the back room. Grumman turned back to Chris once the boy was out of sight.

"How old is he now?"

"He turned ten this year."

"Already? My, how time flies."

"That it does. They grow up so fast. In fact, he's taken an interest in alchemy. Found some of my brother's old books on the subject. I can't get him to shut up about it sometimes. Every time he finds something interesting he just has to come tell me and the girls about it."

Grumman laughed.

"You say that, but I'm sure you all fawn over him."

Chris grinned.

"Ah, you know me too well."

Roy came back into the room moments later, placing his glass of milk at the end of the bar and hoisting himself up onto a stool. Silence filled the room as Roy drank his milk, eyeing Grumman as the older man finished his last glass of whisky for the night.

"Thank you Madame, it was nice chatting, but I feel I should be on my way. We'll save our conversation for tomorrow, perhaps."

Chris knew what he meant. With Roy having come downstairs unexpectedly, an information exchange would have to wait.

"Of course, Major General. Wouldn't want you to be caught walking home in that storm."

"Yes, yes, I best hurry along."

Grumman got up from his seat and made to leave, eyeing Roy thoughtfully. Instead of turning to the exit, he turned back to the Madame.

"You know…" he began, seeming unsure about voicing whatever he was about to say. "I do know someone… An alchemist."

This seemed to get Roy's attention and the boy turned to face Grumman, suddenly interested in the conversation. Chris remained silent, staring at the Major General, wondering where he was going with this.

"In fact, he's a remarkable alchemist. A genius even." Grumman sounded almost disgusted as he said this, but also impressed. His tone was very peculiar as he spoke. "The military has been trying to recruit him as a state alchemist for years. The stubborn man refuses vehemently, but I think he would be willing to take on a student, if you were interested in that sort of thing."

It took a moment, but once Roy understood what Grumman was saying, his face lit up with excitement.

"Really?" Roy asked, turning to fully face Grumman while still sitting on the bar stool.

Chris sighed. She should have known that was what he was getting at. The crafty old bastard. She cared for Roy as if he were her own son and she wanted nothing but the best for him. His happiness was her priority, but to send him away to study alchemy? She wasn't sure she'd go that far. She would be worried all the time. It made it a little better knowing that it was someone Grumman was familiar with, though the tone of voice he had used to describe this genius alchemist made her unsure.

"Who exactly is this alchemist?" Chris asked, her tone of voice clearly conveying her doubts.

Grumman set his focus back on her.

"Berthold Hawkeye."

Ah, so that's why he was reluctant to speak well of the man. It was a known fact kept between them that Grumman hated Berthold Hawkeye. His dislike had mellowed out slightly over the years, but it was obviously still there, festering in the back of the Major General's mind. And from what Chris had gathered, Hawkeye had also disliked Grumman. In the end, Berthold Hawkeye and Grumman's daughter had eloped and never spoke to either of their families again, moving to a location Grumman only discovered because of the military's interest in Berthold's abilities as an alchemist. When word came back that Hawkeye wasn't even speaking to the military any longer, holing himself up in isolation because of his wife's death, Grumman's detest had soared. It had been three years since then and it still seemed like Grumman was still full of bitterness for the man that took his daughter.

The sound of Roy's voice broke Chris from her thoughts.

"Aunt Chris, I want to go!"

Chris frowned.

"It will be a lot of work. Alchemy is not a game."

Roy nodded quickly at his aunt's warning.

"I know, but I want to try. I know I can do it!"

Grumman laughed at the boy's enthusiasm.

"Well, it's up to your aunt, but I'll bet you'd make a great alchemist some day." he could see the fire in the boy's eyes. Alchemy certainly did seem to excite him.

Chris grumbled and looked from Roy to Grumman and back again, thinking hard. She felt Roy was too young to jump into this. He had only taken an interest in alchemy a year ago. Perhaps he would grow out of it. It might have just been a phase. But the look on Roy's face was enough to make her relent. He clearly wanted to study alchemy with a master.

"All right," she started, and she was sure Roy was about to explode from happiness until she continued. "I have a condition though."

Roy visibly deflated, but his look remained hopeful.

"If you do well in your schooling, I will let you go study under this Berthold Hawkeye when you turn fifteen."

Roy groaned, his eyes pleading as he looked at her.

"But that's five years away!" he whined.

"That's my condition, Roy-boy, and you can either take it and learn alchemy eventually, or leave it and never get to study under a master."

The fire returned to Roy's eyes and he jumped off the bar stool, crossing his arms.

"Fine. I'll be the best student. You'll see."

Filled with determination, he turned and walked back to the door that led upstairs, his posture straight and proud, like a soldier's. He stopped just inside the door and turned back to the Madame.

"Thanks Aunt Chris." he grinned before running back upstairs to go to bed, confident that the promise of learning alchemy someday would help him sleep through the storm raging outside.

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Hey guys. I've been wanting to write a multichapter Royai fic for a while now, but I couldn't come up with anything other than a fic that told the FMA story as if Roy and Riza were the main characters. I know it's been done a bunch before, but I still wanted to try my hand at writing something like that. This will be based on the manga, with a bit of Brotherhood thrown in.

Yes, this will be long and probably take me quite a while to finish, but I'm definitely going to try get through it. Roy and Riza deserve a series all their own, and if Arakawa won't do it, then I will.

I hope you enjoyed this little intro. Feedback is loved and appreciated.


	2. First Meeting

**Hawkeye Estate - 1900**

Roy Mustang stood at the door of the Hawkeye estate, wondering if he was at the right place. The large house was run down on the outside, the yard unkept and overgrown. He double checked the address to confirm he wasn't at the wrong house and looked back to the front doors. The home was imposing and suddenly nervousness began to override the excitement he felt the entire train ride from Central. But, he had spent the last five years doing nothing but studying and keeping up his grades in school just so he could come here. There was no way he was going to back out now.

He hardly made any friends in school, too focused on his studies to go out with other kids, to the point that his aunt often voiced her concern, but she and his "sisters" gave him enough attention that he never felt lonely. His thoughts had only been on being able to study alchemy and that drove him to become one of the top students at his school, just so he could prove to his aunt that he was capable and determined to study under Master Hawkeye. And when he heard just what kind of alchemy Berthold Hawkeye had been researching and perfecting, well, Roy's excitement and eagerness could hardly be contained and he worked harder than ever to make sure his aunt couldn't go back on her word.

Roy took a deep breath and knocked three times with the faded bronze knocker, the sound echoing in the house beyond the heavy double doors. After a few moments, he could hear soft footfalls approach the doors. The deadbolt unlocked with a click and the left door opened, squeaking on its hinges, to reveal a small girl, not much younger than Roy himself, with blonde cropped hair and stern tawny eyes. No one had told him there was a little girl living here too and the surprise must have shown on his face. She glared at him silently before Roy remembered himself and grinned at her.

"Hi, I, uh, I'm Roy Mustang. Is this the Hawkeye residence?"

The girl simply nodded, her expression not changing in the least.

"Yes." she finally replied, her voice quiet but firm. "Father has been expecting you. Come in."

The girl opened the door wider to allow Roy to step into the foyer with his suitcase before closing it behind him. Compared to the outside, the inside looked much more well kept. It still looked run down and in need of some repairs, but it was clean and uncluttered. It was once probably very beautiful and still would have been if the paint wasn't chipping in places and the floor tiles weren't cracked in some areas. The place just looked very old.

"This way." the girl spoke again and walked to a sitting area off the foyer, not looking back at Roy.

Roy hurried after her and plopped into one of the chairs after she motioned for him to sit.

"Wait here, I'll tell my father you've arrived."

The girl left without giving him a second glance. Roy let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and relaxed back into the chair once she disappeared up the stairs. He bounced his knee thoughtlessly as he glanced about the room. It looked much like the foyer, just with a love seat, a couple of chairs, a coffee table, and a worn rug covering the white tiles of the floor.

After a few minutes of looking around, he noticed the girl return down the stairs, only to turn and disappear down a hall leading toward the other side of the house. He stared after her, tapping his fingers on his knee nervously. Where was she going? If Hawkeye was expecting him, why hadn't he been the one to answer the door? Why were they making him wait so long? He quickly composed himself once he saw Hawkeye's daughter come back into view holding a tray carrying three delicate tea cups. She approached him and set one of the cups on the table in front of him.

"Father will be down shortly."

"Okay. Thanks. " Roy said, nodding at her and picking up the tea cup.

He took a sip and tried not to grimace. Some of his "sisters" liked tea, but he took after his aunt and preferred coffee. The only way he could ever stand to drink tea was with two scoops of sugar and some milk. This tea wasn't very sweet, if at all. But, his aunt did not raise him to be impolite so he continued to sip the tea, hoping to finish it quickly.

Roy took the opportunity to look at the girl sitting on the other side of the room, sipping her tea quietly, not bothering to look his way. She seemed very indifferent about everything. He wasn't sure if she was shy or just didn't really care that he was here. He didn't have much time to inspect her though as a creak on the stairs announced the arrival of the alchemist he was here to meet.

If Roy thought Berthold Hawkeye's daughter was intimidating, the man himself was downright scary. His too-long shaggy blond hair cast a shadow on his face and his eyes were a frigid, piercing blue. Roy swallowed a gasp as the man took a seat across from him.

"Roy Mustang, I take it?" Berthold said, grabbing the last cup of tea off the tray and taking a sip.

"Y...yes sir!" Roy answered, trying to hide his nerves and not quite succeeding.

Roy's nervousness seemed to amuse Hawkeye and the corners of his lips twitched a bit, though it went unnoticed by Roy.

"Let's get right to the point, shall we? Your lessons will begin tomorrow morning at eight AM sharp. You will not be late. I will not tolerate tardiness or slacking off."

"Yes sir. Of course."

"As long as you are my student and living in this house you will respect my rules. I will outline those rules and everything else when you meet me in my study tomorrow morning." Berthold gestured to his daughter. "This is my daughter, Riza. She will show you where everything is."

Riza finally met Roy's gaze again and nodded at him. He smiled at her and she looked back to her father quickly.

"I'll be returning to my study. Riza, take him to his room and make sure he knows his way around the house."

"Yes, father."

Berthold stood, tea in hand, and left Roy and Riza alone in the sitting room. Riza stood and placed her teacup on the tray, taking Roy's mostly empty cup as well.

"Follow me." she said, grabbing the tray and leaving the room.

Roy followed her, suitcase in hand.

"He barely spent five minutes…" Roy muttered under his breath, but Riza had heard him and spoke before he could continue whispering to himself.

"He often doesn't feel well so he rarely leaves his study or bedroom."

Roy's eyes widened and his ears turned red, embarrassment flooding his system. He hadn't meant for her to hear his complaints.

"Ah! S...sorry!" he stammered. "I didn't mean anything, I just thought it was weird that he didn't want to interrogate me more or something…"

Riza seemed to find a flustered Roy Mustang endearing and she smiled.

"It's fine, Mr. Mustang. You didn't know."

Roy looked visibly relieved at this, though he inwardly cringed at her calling him "Mister." He was only fifteen. Calling him "Mister" made it sound like he was an old man. Was she really that much younger than him? He wouldn't say anything though, deciding to assume she was just being polite.

They arrived at the kitchen where Riza placed the tray on the counter by the sink, turning to Roy.

"I make breakfast every day at seven. If you want to eat, be here by then."

Roy nodded at her. Both Berthold and Riza seemed to be strict with rules. It must have run in the family.

"Sure." he responded. "I can do that."

Riza gave him a look, but said nothing as she pushed passed him to leave the kitchen. Roy followed her up the staircase. When they reached the landing, she motioned one way, pointing out her father's study, and then walked down the opposite end of the hall, indicating where the bathroom was. She stopped at an open door across from the bathroom and gestured inside.

"This will be your room. Mine is next to yours. If you need anything and my father is unavailable, come ask me."

"Thank you Miss Hawkeye." Roy flashed her an appreciative smile. "I appreciate you helping me out."

Riza gave him a small smile, a light blush creeping to her cheeks. With a reaction like that, Roy mused, it seemed as if she wasn't used to being thanked or even noticed very often.

"It's just what father asked me to do." she replied, turning from him and walking over to her bedroom door. "Good night, Mr. Mustang."

Riza retreated into her room, closing the door behind her. Roy grinned after her. She seemed to just be shy. Maybe she wasn't used to being around people? Either way, she seemed nice despite his initial analysis of her almost emotionless expressions earlier.

Roy hoisted his suitcase and shuffled into the room, closing the door behind him. It was fairly spacious with a double bed, desk, nightstand, and dresser lining the walls. His window overlooked the front yard and gave him a beautiful view of the rolling hills beyond the house. The sun was just setting and gave the horizon an orange glow. Compared to the congested city he was used to, this was quite the change of scenery, but he found it to be a nice change. He had to admit that it was very pretty.

Throwing his suitcase on the ground at the foot of the bed, Roy fell onto the bed and stretched out, thankful to be somewhere remotely comfortable after such a long day of traveling. He figured he would unpack tomorrow, feeling too tired to bother that night.

 **0000000**

It was only two days into his alchemy training and Roy found himself stuck. It was not the work or complex equations that were giving him problems, though. Coming up with a code to use for his alchemy notes was what was causing him grief that day. It should not have been that hard. He was used to hearing about coded messages and the like from his aunt and sisters back home. They even taught him a few tricks about the subject. So why was he having such a difficult time coming up with his own?

Master Hawkeye advised that Roy code his personal notes, even as an apprentice, so at the very least he would be used to it by the time he was no longer a student of alchemy. Saying it this way made it seem like Hawkeye was merely giving him advice, but his tone of voice indicated that it was an important and mandatory assignment. One he was never to give away to anyone, not even to Hawkeye himself.

So Roy sat in the kitchen, absently tapping his pencil on the table with one hand while shoveling forkfuls of scrambled eggs into his mouth with the other, glancing up at the ceiling in thought. Riza was washing dishes quietly. The only sound in the room was the splash of water as she scrubbed the pans clean, and Roy tapping his pencil erratically and scraping his plate to scoop up more eggs. After a few minutes of this, Riza let out a soft sigh, dried her hands, and walked over to Roy, grabbing the pencil from his grasp and slamming it onto the table. This jolted Roy from his thoughts and he gaped at her. She merely gave him her usual glare, her hands on her hips.

"Mr. Mustang, are you having trouble with something?" she asked, her voice quiet and stoic as ever. The only indication that she had been annoyed was her actions with his pencil.

She glanced at his notes, studying them for a few moments, before Roy realized what she was looking at and quickly covered his notebook with his arms.

"No! I mean, maybe? I mean...yes…"

Riza rolled her eyes and turned back to finish drying the dishes.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out, but please be more quiet about it." she said.

Her voice was stern, but Roy got the distinct feeling she was attempting to motivate him. He grinned at her.

"I'll try. Thanks."

Riza didn't turn around or say anything, but her back stiffened briefly and she fumbled with the pan she was drying.

Once the dishes were put away, she glanced out of the kitchen to the grandfather clock in the hall and let out a small gasp, turning to Roy.

"I need to get to school. Leave your plate in the sink and I'll take care of it when I get home, Mr. Mustang."

Before Roy could respond, Riza hurried upstairs and came back moments later with a bag over her shoulder. She darted out the front doors leaving him alone in the kitchen. He looked at the clock himself and realized why she was in such a hurry. He only had fifteen minutes before he needed to be in Master Hawkeye's study.

Standing immediately, he quickly went about washing his own plate. He wasn't about to let a little girl go through the trouble of picking up after him when he was more than capable of helping out around the house. She already did everything else. He laughed to himself. If only he had that mindset back home in Central, his aunt wouldn't always be on his case.

As he washed his plate, his thoughts went back to his alchemy code.

The code had to be unique to him. Something important to him that others wouldn't be aware of. He kept thinking of his aunt and sisters and then it hit him. His family was important. His aunt and sisters were the most important people in his life. Other people didn't know he considered them sisters. There it was. That was it. He grinned widely, putting his plate away in the cabinet where it belonged. He grabbed his notebook and started scribbling his thoughts eagerly.

His alchemy code would be his family.

0000000

Riza came home from school that evening to prepare dinner when she discovered some papers strewn about under the table. She frowned and picked them up, finding that they were some of Roy's notes. Not his codes, but notes he would have surely needed to study. The boy was apparently absent minded if he dropped such important papers without noticing.

With a huff, she stacked them neatly and went to return them to him. Upon entering his room, she found he was not there, probably still with her father. She glanced about the empty room and frowned. It was a bit of a mess and he had only been there two days. His suitcase was only half unpacked, the bed was unmade, clothes were strewn about on the bed. The desk was already littered with papers and books.

Riza sighed and tidied up his desk a bit, placing the notes she had found in a stack on top of the others, and couldn't help but notice one of his codes was slightly off. She glanced about to make sure he wasn't coming back yet and quickly corrected the problem, remembering the things her father had taught her when she was younger. He had stopped trying to teach her alchemy shortly after her mother died, finding that she simply did not have the aptitude. The equations and codes weren't the problem. She was very smart and caught on fairly quickly. No, she simply did not have the talent to use alchemy. This seemed to have frustrated her father and he gave up on her after only teaching her the basic principles, which was what Roy appeared to be learning now.

Nodding once at her handiwork, she turned and left in a hurry, not wanting him to find her in his room.

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I just wanted to thank everyone for the favorites, follows, and reviews.

Not much is going on in this first chapter yet, I'm still setting things up in terms of how certain things came about. If it wasn't apparent, I was trying to get the point across that Riza immediately starts taking care of Roy, feeling like he needs help with everything because he can't take care of himself. Like, he loses his notes all the time and she finds them and reorganizes them for him without telling him ever. She helps him behind the scenes because he's the kind of person that she can't help but want to look out for.

As always, thanks for reading. Feedback is always loved and appreciated.


	3. A Bright Future

Roy spent three years as Berthold Hawkeye's apprentice, excelling in his studies and exceeding Berthold's expectations. Riza and he didn't see each other much, only speaking during breakfast most days as she was at school all day while he studied with Master Hawkeye until late into the evening. Riza would bring dinner to them in her father's study, usually being quiet enough that sometimes neither of the alchemists would even notice her, intently scrawling alchemic circles or having their noses pressed into books.

Riza was used to the lack of attention and took no offense, despite that when Roy had first arrived she had been mildly excited that there would be someone that might actually talk to her in more than demands and one word answers. Roy did talk to her, but they were little more than casual friends even after almost three years. Riza had also only been twelve when he first arrived, which could have also explained why they didn't do much together even on the rare occasions they weren't immersed in their studies. Perhaps he just didn't want to hang out with a little kid?

She hadn't stopped calling him Mr. Mustang, even though Roy had taken to calling her Riza. She was just not comfortable enough to refer to him by his first name and was too worried her father would scold her for being impolite. So, instead of trying to make friends, she kept herself busy with her schooling, hoping to please her father like Roy did. She couldn't learn alchemy, but maybe doing well in school would make him praise her and take notice of her. Of course it never happened, but that didn't stop her from trying.

She continued to help Roy behind the scenes in little ways, picking up his room a bit, returning lost notes, speaking well of him when her father asked her opinion. Roy might have been a genius when it came to alchemy, but he certainly could be forgetful and scatterbrained when it came to other things, like taking care of himself. Almost as if others had always done most things for him. Riza had unconsciously made it her duty to look out for him in the time he lived with them. If Roy had ever noticed the little things she did for him, he never said anything.

Roy proved to be a brilliant student, but no matter how many times he asked about flame alchemy, Master Hawkeye would either tell him he was still too young or just not ready to learn it. This frustrated Roy, but he never pushed the subject. Sure he wanted to learn, but until he turned seventeen, there had never been any pressure to master a unique form of alchemy.

At age seventeen, almost three full years into his apprenticeship, he had a most interesting conversation with his aunt's friend General Grumman while taking a week off of his studies to visit his family in Central. A conversation that would ultimately shape his future.

 **0000000**

The evening air was brisk as the train pulled into Central Station and Roy tightened his scarf around his face before disembarking. He was excited to be home again. It had been almost a year since he last saw his aunt and sisters.

In one hand he carried his suitcase and, in his other arm, he cradled a bag to his chest delicately. The bag contained a dozen copper flowers, one for each of his sisters plus his aunt. He transmuted them a few days before he left to come home and he was proud of his handiwork. The intricateness of the stems and petals were breathtaking and he was sure the girls would adore them. If he was being honest with himself, they adored everything he did, but he chose to believe the flowers were something anyone would admire.

A huge grin plastered itself on his face when he saw his aunt wave to him as she stood near her car, ready to take him home for the week. He waved back and hurried over to her, dropping his suitcase on the curb and hugging her with his free arm.

"Good to see you, Roy-boy."

"It's great to see you too, Aunt Chris."

The car ride to Christmas's Bar was full of talk about what Roy had been up to since the last time he saw his aunt and also about the things happening around Central. They wrote letters on occasion, but they were never very detailed. The letters were mostly just to let his aunt know how he was doing and that he was still alive. Talking to her face to face was so much better and he fell right back into the easiness of it. Master Hawkeye wasn't much for talking about things outside alchemy, and Riza was naturally a quiet and somewhat reclusive girl, so when Roy had time to spare he hadn't really had anyone to talk to. It was nice to be able to run his mouth without getting an odd look.

When they arrived at the bar, the girls squealed in delight at the sight of Roy and the squealing only grew louder when he handed out the copper flowers. He was nearly choked to death from all the overwhelmingly tight hugs he received from everyone.

Once the excitement died down, Roy brought his things to his room, then rejoined his family in the main bar, sitting at a table and talking animatedly with his sisters. He looked up as the bell above the main door rang, a familiar face entering the bar. Grumman took off his military cap and nodded to the Madame, who motioned for him to take a seat at the bar and immediately fixed him his usual drink.

Roy excused himself from his sister's company and took a seat next to Grumman at the bar. He hadn't actually seen the old man since he offered him the apprenticeship with Hawkeye and he wanted to thank him in person.

"Hello sir, nice to see you again." Roy said, extending his hand.

Grumman shook Roy's hand firmly.

"Ah, I've heard from your aunt that you've become quite the alchemist since we last met."

Roy smiled proudly.

"I'd like to think so." Roy replied, dropping his hand back down to his side. " I just wanted to personally thank you for giving me such an opportunity. It's been the best few years of my life."

Grumman laughed and waved his hand.

"Think nothing of it. I'm just glad to have been some help."

Grumman, Madame Christmas, and Roy fell into a discussion about random things, though eventually the topic turned toward the military and the war with Ishval that had begun a year ago. Roy had heard about it, how could anyone not have, but he hadn't really given it too much thought until now. It had just been something happening far away that didn't directly affect him so he had mostly pushed it from his mind. Grumman seemed to be a bit concerned though from the way he spoke about it. It made Roy seriously think about the war again, realizing that maybe it was closer to home than he had first thought.

"I actually came here to tell you that I've been promoted." Grumman said, gaze focused on the Madame. "I'm a Lieutenant General now."

"Well, congratulations are in order." Chris replied. "Drinks on me tonight, General."

"Thank you, Madame. I'll certainly need a few. They've also decided to transfer me to Eastern."

Madame Christmas frowned at this, Grumman's expression also turning a bit sour.

"Not much of a promotion, then. Why bother making you a General just to send you out there?"

Grumman shrugged, having an idea of why, but not wanting to share his thoughts about the subject.

"Nothing I can do about it now. I'll be leaving in a week. Ah, I will surely miss the company, Madame. Visiting you and your girls was always something to look forward to."

"You know you can always call if you need anything, General." Madame responded.

Grumman nodded.

"Thank you, I may take you up on that occasionally." He downed the last of his drink in one large gulp. "The military is also currently looking for more soldiers. It's possible they're sending me out that way to look for new recruits."

Madame looked at the General skeptically.

"Yes...It's possible." she replied.

One of the girls called to Chris from the back room, breaking the sudden tension in the air.

"If you'll excuse me, General. I'll be right back."

Madame Christmas disappeared into the back room, leaving Grumman and Roy alone at the bar.

The mention of the military needing new recruits made Roy pause. Was the war really so bad that the military was looking to bolster its ranks? Were people seriously in danger? Could his family be in danger eventually? This started worrying him and he looked up at Grumman.

"Would the military also be looking for alchemists?"

Grumman looked thoughtfully at Roy.

"They're always looking for State Alchemists." he replied, knowing where this was going. "When do you turn eighteen, my boy?"

"In two months, sir."

Grumman stroked his mustache, looking up in thought.

"Is joining the military something you're seriously interested in?"

"Now it is." Roy said, visibly thinking hard about the subject. "I hadn't given too much thought of what I wanted to do after my apprenticeship. Using alchemy for the people, to protect people, feels like something I should do. Something that any alchemist should do. 'Alchemy be thou for the people,' after all."

Grumman nodded at this, seeming pleased about his response.

"When you turn eighteen, you'll be eligible to enter the military academy. I'll even give you a recommendation."

Roy gave Grumman a bright smile.

"Really? Thank you sir, that means a lot."

"Make sure to get your application to me before I leave and I will be happy to submit it for you."

Roy jumped off the stool and shook Grumman's hand again.

"Thank you, I'll get to it right away!" he exclaimed, then in a quieter voice added, "But keep this from Aunt Chris. She's kind of overprotective and might be against me joining the military."

Grumman chuckled.

"Of course, my boy."

 **000000000**

One month after Roy applied to the military academy, he received a response in the mail at the Hawkeye estate. Riza didn't look at the sender when she handed the letter to him. He received letters from his aunt every so often and assumed that's what it was. But when Roy appeared nervous while looking at the envelope, she stared at him curiously. They might not have been extremely close, but she had still learned how to read him. How to know when something was off. He said nothing to her about it though, thanking her for getting his mail for him, and hurrying upstairs to his room, grasping the letter tightly.

Once he was safely alone in his room, Roy took a deep breath and opened the envelope, unfolding the letter and reading intently. A smile slowly grew on his face as he read the last paragraph.

They had accepted him. In one month, after he turned eighteen, he was to report to the academy in Central. He hadn't felt this excited since his aunt told him he could study alchemy with Master Hawkeye. Roy knew what he was going to do with this life, and his future seemed bright.

000000000

"Riza." Roy said, sitting next to the girl at the kitchen table, a plate of toast and eggs in front of him.

Riza looked up from her breakfast and raised her eyebrows in question.

"Yes?"

"Um, so, you know the letter you gave me yesterday?"

Riza nodded slowly.

"I applied to the military academy when I went to visit my family last month. That was the response."

Riza's eyes widened minutely, not enough for most people to notice, but Roy noticed. Just as she had learned how to read him, he had learned how to read her.

"Well, they accepted me. I'll be leaving for the academy next month."

Riza chewed her lip and stared at him. He seemed genuinely excited and happy. He smiled widely at her, nervously waiting to hear her response. Roy had been so happy upon reading the letter that he just had to tell someone as soon as possible. The only people to talk to were his master and Riza, and since he knew that telling his master would be difficult what with his feelings of dislike for the military, his friend Riza was the only option. It wasn't like they shared everything with each other, but they shared enough that he was happy she was the first to know about this next step in his life.

Riza finally gave him a small smile and it made his smile grow. Her smiles were so rare and infectious.

"That's great, Mr. Mustang." she said. "I'm happy for you."

That was a minor lie. With Roy gone, it would be so quiet. She would genuinely miss having breakfast with Roy every morning, even if sometimes they never said much. Just his presence had become a comfort she looked forward to. But she was happy that he had found something he wanted to do with his life, so she made sure to hide her disappointment.

A few days later, as expected, when Roy told his master that he was thinking of joining the military, Berthold lost his temper and refused to teach Roy that day. With Riza at school until that evening, Roy found himself holed up the library. He had been trying to read, but found himself going over the same line multiple times. He couldn't stop thinking of how Master Hawkeye had responded, and he hadn't even told the man that he had already applied to the academy and had been accepted. Roy supposed he never would tell Hawkeye about it.

He snapped the book shut and leaned his head against the back of the armchair, sighing. He decided he would simply tell Master Hawkeye that his family needed him back home. Plus he had already learned almost everything he could about basic alchemy and if Hawkeye refused to teach him flame alchemy, there was no more reason to remain as an apprentice.

 **000000000**

Thanks for reading. See you next chapter.


	4. Shared Dreams

I just want to thank everyone for the faves, alerts, and reviews. Seeing that really makes my day.

There are some scenes in here that I directly transcribed from the manga. You'll know it when you get to them. I obviously didn't write the dialogue in those scenes, they all were written by and belong to the fabulous Hiromu Arakawa.

 **000000**

The day Roy left the Hawkeye estate to join the military academy was beautiful and sunny, but swelteringly hot. Riza accompanied him to the train depot, insisting she see him off in place of her father. She felt it would be rude not to, after all the time Roy had spent with them.

Riza was still as they stood side by side waiting for the train, only moving to smooth out a wrinkle in her sun dress every now and then. Roy fanned himself with his academy acceptance letter, wiping a bead of sweat off his brow while staring off down the tracks. A comfortable silence filled the air between them until the train whistle sounded in the distance. They both turned their attention to the train as it rolled into view.

"Well, that's my train." Roy said, folding the academy acceptance letter and stuffing it into his pocket.

Riza nodded. The wind from the train pulling into the station blew her short hair and dress around and she held her skirt down so it wouldn't fly up too much. Roy turned to her and smiled.

"Thanks for everything, Riza. I'm gonna miss you."

He ruffled her hair and she blushed.

"You're very welcome, Mr. Mustang." she responded, her voice even and steady. "Good luck."

She would miss him too, but didn't want to tell him that. She felt like voicing it would make it too real and she'd lose her composure, giving away just how much she didn't want to see him go yet. He had been her first friend and the house would be so lonely and empty with him gone. He had filled a void in her life she hadn't ever realized was there.

Roy grinned at her and picked up his suitcase.

"Take care." he said, waving to her as he boarded the train and disappeared from her sight.

Riza let out a sigh and was ready to turn to leave when she spotted him opening one of the windows near her, sticking his torso out to smile and wave at her again as the train pulled away. She smiled at his antics and waved back until the train was no longer visible.

Yes, she was going to miss Roy Mustang.

 **0000000**

The first few weeks at the military academy were both exciting and nerve wracking for Roy. It was nothing he couldn't handle though, mostly thanks to the discipline he learned while being Master Hawkeye's apprentice. Following strict and specific rules was something he mastered quickly while living with Berthold and Riza, and he just carried that over to the academy. Though having to salute and respect those he didn't like simply because they were upper classmen or high ranked officers was awfully tiring and annoying.

The academics portion wasn't difficult at all for him, especially when Berthold used to give him work a hundred times harder than anything the academy was throwing at him. And the physical activities weren't so bad. Chopping wood for the winter to help out Riza and walking the three miles with her, one way, from the house to the town for groceries every week had given him decent enough body strength to handle most of the military's exercise regimen.

Overall, the ease with which he adjusted to military life could be attributed to the time he spent at the Hawkeye estate, and he was grateful.

Of course, being able to read people thanks to the pointers his aunt and sisters had given him over the years, helped too. He could usually tell which students and officers were shady, which ones were prone to bouts of anger, or who he could relax more with.

When someone wasn't being completely honest with their outward feelings, like when an officer looked fine, but was actually angry and about to snap at any little thing, he noticed and knew how to handle it and say or do the right thing to keep from getting into trouble. That was something he learned from Riza, who always looked angry, but was actually a very kind girl. She was hard to read and it took almost a year before he was able to figure her out, but once he did, he rarely annoyed her again, being able to tell if she was upset just by the inflections in her voice or minor narrowing of her eyes.

In his third month at the academy, Roy's competitive spirit was ignited by a fellow cadet who took the last slice of quiche at lunch in such a cocky way that Roy's anger flared. Not to mention that Riza used to make quiche once a week and he had grown a certain fondness for the dish. He wanted that slice of quiche, and to have it purposely stolen right out from under him pissed him off.

He soon discovered the man's name was Maes Hughes and he was the other top cadet at the academy in the same year.

The next time the mess hall served quiche, Roy made sure to grab the one Hughes was going for, just to make a point.

"Sorry, spinach quiche is my favorite." Roy said, smirking at Hughes and making eye contact to be sure that his challenge was obvious.

Hughes stared at him a moment before smirking himself. The game was afoot and both young men competed in everything from that point on, from academics to sniper practice to running laps. Neither would back down and both seemed to be on equal footing. Their competition was so fierce that even their other classmates noticed and remarked at how insane the two rivals were for the lengths each went to show the other up. This went on for a month until one afternoon when Roy noticed Maes' group of friends assaulting an Ishvalan cadet in an alley.

Roy, being the kind of person to never give up on what he thought was right, grew angry at their cruel jabs toward their fellow classmate, grabbed one of the upperclassmen by the collar and socked him in the jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground. This obviously angered the man's friends and they all ganged up on Roy.

"That's far enough, Roy Mustang!"

The men stopped their assault and all turned their attention to Maes Hughes standing at the entrance to the alleyway holding a gun aimed at Roy.

"Maes…" one of the upperclassmen spoke. "Y...you shouldn't have a gun…"

"You seniors keep quiet about this." Hughes responded, not lowering the gun. "I'll finish these two off myself. Roy Mustang and the Ishvalan. Come here."

They all stared uneasily at Maes, releasing Roy and letting him and the Ishvalan cadet slowly walk over to stand near Maes, who kept the gun trained on them. Mustang and Hughes glared at one another for a few moments. Was Hughes really that crazy that he'd shoot them right there in an alley in the middle of the academy grounds? Much to Roy's relief, Maes smirked and moved to aim the gun at the upperclassmen who all took a step back.

"Wh...what are you doing, Maes?" one of them stammered.

"You know, people who bully others like this…" Hughes muttered, his expression turning angry. "Are the ones I hate the most!"

Everyone gasped in surprise, including Roy. Who knew the asshole had a heart of gold?

"Unite together…" Maes looked at Roy, reciting the beginning of the phrase taught to them in class.

Roy grinned.

"And win with your spirit." he finished, fired up to finish the fight.

Hughes put the gun into his back pocket and he and Mustang turned to their seniors and charged in together.

After that, for the two years they were at the academy, the two of them were inseparable.

 **000000**

Riza Hawkeye's life returned to the dull monotony of taking care of an ailing father she didn't get along with, whose condition worsened considerably in the time after Roy's leaving, and trying to keep the house from falling apart around them. With no income coming in without Roy paying tuition, and her father too ill to take on another apprentice, Riza was forced to get a part time job after school. At fifteen years old, she was solely responsible for things many people couldn't handle even into their thirties, and she did it all without complaint. For two years she continued her schooling, worked part time jobs, and cooked and cleaned and made sure her father was as comfortable and well taken care of as possible.

In what little spare time she had, Riza took up shooting. She needed something to take her mind off of her stressful day to day life, a hobby she could poor enough concentration into so she wouldn't have to think about her dying father or all the things she was forced to take care of with him nearly bedridden. She had found an old shotgun in the basement one day a few weeks after Roy had left and decided to try target practice. It was on a whim, and she wasn't even sure she'd enjoy it, but she had to try _something_ that could possibly distract her from her loneliness for even a few minutes.

The Hawkeye estate backed up to a dense forest and Riza would go deep into the trees and line up cans on a log to use as targets. At first her aim was off, the gun being a bit too big for her slender arms and shoulder to be able to accommodate for the recoil and it would throw her off balance. But a couple of weeks into it, she gained enough muscle and managed to adjust herself so she wouldn't stumble back with every shot. She was naturally observant and had a good eye so once she fixed her problem with the recoil, she was able to come fairly close to her intended target. It took her less than a month to finally hit one, and she had grinned widely, feeling proud herself the rest of that day.

 **000000**

It had been two years since she last saw or heard from Roy Mustang, so when he suddenly showed up at the Hawkeye estate one evening, Riza was understandably shocked. Her expression didn't change much, but Roy could tell, even after being apart for so long. Her surprise was evident to him and he smiled at her apologetically.

"Hey, it's been a while." he said, scratching the back of his head. "I would have called, but I didn't think Master Hawkeye would talk to me if he knew I was coming."

Riza composed herself and smiled, stepping back from the door to let Roy in.

"I don't know about that, Mr. Mustang. He really liked you." She glanced at the uniform he wore and added, "Though I'm not sure he'll be forgiving when he sees you in that."

Roy laughed, stepping into the foyer.

"Yes, I'm expecting some backlash, but I hope he'll understand."

"Well, you can certainly _try_ to appeal to him. You know where his study is." Riza said, gesturing up the stairs. "He's been in there since this afternoon. If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen making some coffee for when you're finished talking with him."

Roy grinned. Coffee. She remembered that he preferred coffee.

"Thanks." he said, and hurried up the stairs.

Roy had come back to his master's home to try to convince the man to finally teach him flame alchemy. He had graduated the academy two days before and had a month of leave until he was expected to report to his assigned post, the location of which he would find out in a week or so. If he could become a State Alchemist, it would promote him to the standing of Major immediately and bring him even closer to becoming a cornerstone to protecting the country like he wanted. But without a unique form of alchemy, he would be denied the rank up as ordinary state alchemists only received funding for research and no high military rank.

Roy believed wholeheartedly that using alchemy for the people as a State Alchemist was a noble endeavor, not to mention something that was very much needed with Amestris being surrounded by so many militarily strong countries and the war with Ishval showing no signs of ending any time soon.

He just hoped he could convince his master that he was doing the right thing.

Roy knocked twice on the door to Hawkeye's study.

"Enter." came a gravelly muffled voice from inside.

Roy took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping into the room slowly, then shutting the door behind him. Hawkeye glanced at Roy out of the corner of his eye from where he sat at his desk, not looking up from what he was writing. His clothing was layered, a warm sweater over flannel pajamas all wrapped in a thick robe. His condition must have deteriorated considerably, Roy noted, if he was cold enough to have to wear so much to keep him warm.

"So, you became a soldier after all, Roy." Berthold said, still focused on his writing.

Roy inwardly sighed at his master's disapproving tone of voice. Convincing him might be harder than he thought. He had forgotten how stubborn and opinionated Berthold could be.

"Yes, Master." Roy said. "I thought eventually that I would like to take the qualification to become a state alchemist and work for my country."

The man frowned and stared at Roy for a few moments before scoffing at him.

"As I thought," Hawkeye sneered, "It's still too early for you to be 'The Flame Alchemist.'"

Roy wanted to yell at the old man, but kept his composure.

"Still...is it?" he replied calmly. "In the end, you've only taught me the basics of alchemy up to now."

"Of course. It's a waste to teach someone who would degrade himself by becoming a dog of the military even fundamental concepts."

"'Alchemy is for the people,' isn't it?" Roy's voice raised ever so slightly in volume, impatience lacing itself in his tone. "Master, I think that being useful to the military is linked to being useful to the people. Now that we are exposed to threats from the surrounding countries, strengthening the military is most urgent. To protect the nation, alchemy is…"

Roy was cut off by an exasperated Berthold, anger evident in his voice.

"I'm tired of listening to those second hand opinions."

"Master…" Roy responded, his tone changing from slightly annoyed to melancholy, a sad look gracing his features. "To think if I had as much knowledge as you, it should be easy to take the state qualification. Honestly, I find it unbearable that someone of your caliber is smoldering in such destitution. If you take the state qualification and accept the issued research funds, your research would also go even further…"

Hawkeye cut him off again.

"There's no need for that." he snapped, then sighed. "My research was perfected a long time ago. It is the strongest kind of alchemy. Depending on how it's used, it can also become the most deadly. I completed my research, and I became satisfied."

An almost crazy look flashed in Berthold's eyes as he continued.

"Alchemists are living beings who, as long as they are alive, cannot go on without seeking truth. When they stop their thinking, the 'alchemist' dies. That is why I am a human who died a long time ago."

Roy looked at Berthold sadly, his voice pained and growing almost desperate. Suddenly it wasn't about him learning flame alchemy anymore. It was about helping his master and making him see all the good he could be doing for people.

"Please don't say such a thing. If you would please use that power for the world…"

"Power…?" Hawkeye's voice grew cold in silent fury. "So, you want power, Roy?"

Suddenly, Berthold convulsed and a coughing fit wracked his frail body. He could do nothing to control himself as he coughed up blood and fell forward onto his desk, soaking the papers littering it, turning them a deep sticky red.

"MASTER!" Roy yelled, rushing forward to grip the man around the shoulders. "MASTER!"

Despite his condition, Hawkeye began muttering, his voice barely audible, but steady.

"Since I saw your growth...with my own eyes, I thought of bestowing it on you…" he sighed and took a breath. "What a pity… I don't have any time left...to teach you."

"W...wha?" Roy stuttered, surprised by his master's confession.

"But, my research…" Berthold went on, ignoring Roy. "My daughter knows it all. If...you are saying you will use my alchemy… my power in the correct way, she will probably present the secret to you."

"Master! Please, get ahold of yourself!"

Berthold kept ignoring Roy's worried shouts, continuing to speak in such a quiet voice that Roy could hardly make out what the man was saying.

"I'm sorry...I was so immersed in my research, I couldn't do anything for you...I'm sorry, Riza…"

"MASTER! MASTER HAWKEYE!" Roy's voice became louder again and more frantic.

"Roy...I'll leave my daughter to you. Please...please…"

Hawkeye's voice grew even quieter and he couldn't seem to get words out any longer.

"Please…" he whispered, one last time before his body slumped and grew still.

"SOMEONE!" Roy shouted desperately, panicking and not knowing what to do while holding Berthold's limp body. "Call a doctor! Is anyone still here!?"

Roy looked to the door of the study to find it open and a distraught Riza standing there, leaning against the door frame, her eyes wide and tinted with fear.

"RIZA!"

 **0000000**

Berthold Hawkeye's funeral was a very small affair. No one knew the man well enough to attend and many that did know of him feared him. The only people in attendance, besides Roy and Riza, were the preacher and those in charge of burying the coffin. And even they didn't stay longer than was absolutely necessary.

As the sun steadily descended below the horizon, Roy and Riza stood before Berthold's grave.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mustang." Riza said quietly, breaking the silence between them. "Having you take care of everything, even up to my father's funeral…"

"Don't worry about it." Roy responded gently. "It's the least I could do as an apprentice. What about you? Don't you have any other family or relatives?"

Riza shook her head, gazing down sadly.

"My mother has been long dead. Both my mother and father seemed to have been estranged from their families, so I've never heard them talk of any relatives."

"What will you do from now on?"

"I'll have to think about it. Fortunately, father made me at least go to school properly… I think I'll be able to live on my own, somehow."

Roy gave her a small smile.

"I see…" he said, reaching into the inner pocket of his military jacket and producing a small white card. "If anything happens, you can visit the military authorities anytime. I'll probably be in the military for life."

Riza looked at him, surprised, and took the card from his outstretched hand, reading it thoughtfully.

"For life…?"

"Yes."

"Please don't die!" Riza said suddenly, looking at him with a very serious and worried expression.

Roy blanched.

"...Don't say such ominous things…" he said, composing himself quickly. "But, I can't guarantee that. Because, in this occupation, someday I might just die on the side of the road like a piece of trash... Even so, if I could become one of the country's foundation stones and be able to protect everyone with these hands, I think I'll be happy. Well, that's the reason I've learned alchemy, anyway, but in the end I wasn't able to be taught master's secrets…"

Roy grew embarrassed, realizing he had been rambling on about himself. He scratched the back of his head nervously and looked away from Riza.

"Sorry...I ended up talking about my naive dream."

"No…I think it's a wonderful dream." Riza responded reassuringly, pausing a moment before continuing. "The secrets my father left behind...He said they were written in a code that no average alchemist would be able to decipher."

"So...master left behind his secret manuscripts after all…"

"No." Riza was quick to reply and correct him. "They're not manuscripts. He said it would be a problem if his life's research disappeared or was taken by someone untrustworthy."

"Then...how did he leave them behind?" Roy asked, confused.

"Mr. Mustang. That dream...can I entrust my back to it? Is it alright to believe in a future where everyone can live in happiness?"

Riza fidgeted and unconsciously pulled at her blouse. Red lines etched into her skin peeked out from under the now slightly lowered collar, directly under the back of her neck. Roy didn't notice, standing to her side, his brow furrowed in a questioning look as he stared at her face.

"What? What do you mean?" he asked, unsure why she phrased her response the way she did.

Riza released her grip on her blouse and looked at the horizon.

"It's getting late." she finally said, avoiding Roy's gaze. "Let's return to the house. I'll explain everything when we get back."

 **000000**

I was planning on adding Roy learning flame alchemy to this chapter, but I feel like this is a good stopping point right now since it was getting pretty long. So you get to look forward to that in the next chapter instead.

Thanks for reading, and as always, feedback is loved and appreciated.


	5. The Tattoo

For this chapter, I referenced a post by soterianyx on Tumblr that translated everything from Riza's tattoo. Without that, this chapter would not have been possible, so go check out her post. It's amazing. The post number is post/74925554706

 **0000000**

The light of the setting sun bathed the sitting room in an orange glow, even through the closed curtains, making the dim yellow light from the small table lamp in the corner almost unneeded. Riza had led Roy here as soon as they returned to the Hawkeye estate. The entire walk from the cemetery had been mostly silent. Roy had asked a couple of times if Riza could clarify what she meant about her father's research, but she avoided the subject and his gaze each time, choosing to remain silent.

He wondered if she'd finally clear up his confusion once they reached the house, but instead, she brought him to the sitting room, never once looking at him. She kept her back to him as she stood in the center of the room, and Roy opened his mouth to ask if she was okay. Her actions were starting to worry him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, confusion etched into his voice.

Riza took a deep breath.

"Yes…" she finally replied, so quietly that he almost didn't hear her. Was that a tremor in her voice?

Now that he looked closer, it seemed like Riza was shaking a little. Was she nervous? Why would she be nervous? Maybe she was crying? She just lost her father after all. He studied her again. No, her breathing seemed even. She didn't appear to be crying. Roy had no idea what was going on, but he didn't move, refraining from saying anything else. He wasn't sure how to broach the topic of finding out what was wrong, so they stood in silence for a few more moments, until Riza moved her hands to rest in front of her, then began undoing the buttons on her blouse.

Now Roy wasn't just confused. He was _extremely_ confused.

"Riza! What are you…?"

Roy didn't get a chance to finish as Riza undid the last of the buttons and dropped her shirt to the floor, holding her arms across herself to cover her chest, hunching her back slightly and looking at the ground nervously.

It took him a few moments to comprehend what he was looking at, but once he did, he was filled with both awe and disgust.

Etched into Riza's back in red and black ink was an alchemic array. The tattoo covered nearly every inch of her back from just under the base of her neck, stretching over both shoulder blades, dipping to the curves of her waist, and ending on the small of her back, just above the waistband of her skirt. It was beautiful and perfect, from an alchemical standpoint. The minute detail was extraordinary.

But as Roy stared at it, his mouth slightly agape, realization dawned on him. This was printed into a living person's skin. And not just anyone's skin. Riza's skin. Hawkeye's own daughter, his own flesh and blood. Anger and revulsion bubbled to the surface, and Roy tightened his hands into fists at his side. How dare that man treat her like nothing but a scrap of paper? How could he do such a thing to her?

"Riza…" Roy started. He didn't even know where to begin. "Why…? When? Did he force this on you? Did you give him permission?"

Riza continued to look at the ground, her arms tightening around her front.

"I was eleven." she sighed, pausing for a few moments to contemplate how to tell her story. "It was the year before you came to study with him. He said...He said he needed help. That only I could help protect his secrets. I... didn't exactly know what that meant, but I was eager to help him. He hadn't given me much attention in the years after my mother died and I missed my father. I didn't know that the man he had been had already died with my mother. I didn't know that once he put this thing on my back that he would die again. My father had been dead long before yesterday, he just hadn't stopped breathing yet."

Riza was startled out of her reverie by the feeling of cloth being draped over her shoulders. She turned her head to find Roy had picked up her blouse and covered her back with it. The expression on his face was distant and sad.

"I can't...I don't…" Roy didn't know what to say, how to express what was going through his head.

The fact that the man he thought he had known, the man he had called master, had the capacity to do such a monstrous thing to his own daughter was unbelievable. Placing such a burden on a kid, not to mention the pain she must have gone through? Such a thing was intolerable to Roy. Was that why Riza had avoided him so much when he had been living with them? Had her father not let her get close to anyone for fear that someone might see part of her back? Or was it her decision to avoid people so she wouldn't accidentally give something away? So many questions raced through his mind. How much of her life had revolved around protecting the secrets on her back?

Roy wanted to protect this girl. He wanted to protect _her_ , not the alchemy that must have ruled her life from the moment the ink marked her skin. He wanted to protect her for his own reasons, certainly not because her father had asked it of him. He would have looked out for her anyway, even without Berthold saying anything, but now Roy had even more reason to want to make sure she was okay. He wanted to protect the girl that had only ever been looked at as an object to hide her father's secrets.

"Mr. Mustang." Riza said, wrapping her shirt around herself and partially turning to face him. "I believe my father intended for you to be his successor, but regardless of whatever he might have wanted, we both knew that the choice of who would learn his secrets would ultimately be my decision. I believe in your dream. I want you to be the one to learn my father's alchemy. Use it for the people... Use it for the good of this country, and I'll be happy."

Riza finished putting her shirt back on properly, and turned to face Roy fully, finally looking him in the eye again. Roy gazed back at her, seeing the determination in her eyes. He sighed and nodded.

"Alright." he said with as much gentleness as he could muster, considering he was still angry at Berthold Hawkeye. The man was lucky he was dead or Roy would have beat his face in. "We don't need to do this now, though. It's been a long day."

 **000000**

Roy awoke the next morning to sunlight streaming into the room from a moth-eaten hole in the curtains. He sat up and yawned, rubbing his eyes. He was staying in his old room, which hadn't changed at all since he had last used it, and he immediately felt nostalgic as he glanced around, remembering how he used to wake up to the sound of birds chirping and the smell of breakfast wafting up the stairs from the kitchen.

In fact, that was exactly how this morning was proceeding. He sniffed the air and smiled, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was seven AM and Riza was cooking breakfast. It was comforting to know that some things never changed. Riza was still a creature of habit. Her daily routine seemed to be ingrained into her very being.

At that thought, memories of last night came flooding back and Roy frowned. His anger had mostly subsided, but he was still upset just thinking about the tattoo on Riza's back.

He pulled back the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed, his bare feet meeting the cool wooden floor boards. He wasn't sure how to approach the subject of learning flame alchemy now, or if he even wanted to anymore. But she had placed her trust in him and believed in him. He couldn't back out, not when she had spoken about trusting in his dream while looking so hopeful and determined.

Roy stood and dressed quickly, not wanting the breakfast Riza was making to get cold. He found her at the stove when he entered the kitchen, her back facing him. Even though she was dressed, he couldn't help but see the tattoo that he now knew was there. He wondered if it would always be that way. Would he ever be able to look at her back and not see the ugly lines engraved into it? He grit his teeth, hating the idea. No, he would make sure to always see Riza, the person beneath the array. The tattoo did not define her.

"Good morning, Mr. Mustang." Riza said without turning to look at him, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Oh, uh, good morning." he replied, moving to take a seat at the kitchen table.

A cup of coffee was already sitting at his place and he took a sip. A smile smile crept onto his face. He was still flattered that she had remembered that he liked coffee more than tea, and she even remembered how he liked it. Black with one scoop of sugar.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Uh, yeah, thanks."

Roy didn't want to tell her that he had been up late stewing over last night's revelation. He had gone to bed angry and had trouble calming his mind enough to fall asleep at a reasonable hour.

Riza opened the oven and the delicious aroma that filled the room increased tenfold. She pulled out what looked like a pie dish, and placed it on the stove, grabbing a knife off the counter and cutting into whatever was inside. She lifted out a wedge of what Roy recognized as quiche, and he inwardly smirked, thinking of Hughes.

He wondered how his friend was utilizing his own leave time. Probably trying to find a girlfriend or something ridiculous like that.

That train of thought was cut off as Riza placed a plate with a slice of quiche in front of him. Suddenly realizing he was actually very hungry, he took a bite, grinning at Riza. Her quiche was a million times better than the one served in the mess hall and he ate greedily, like he hadn't eaten in days.

Riza rolled her eyes at him, but smiled gently as she sat and slowly began eating her own slice.

"How are you doing?" Roy asked, finally taking a minute to stop stuffing his face.

A lot had happened in the past two days and he was worried about her. She had just revealed to him the secret she had kept for years. And despite her father being the kind of man he was, he was still her father. Roy wanted to make sure she was holding up alright.

"I'm fine." she said, taking a sip of tea. "There's no need for you to worry."

Roy nodded and tried to smile at her, but he felt like the worry was still evident in his expression. Riza sighed.

"You should probably start deciphering my father's research today." she said, "The sooner you learn flame alchemy, the better, right? I'm sure you don't have an infinite amount of leave time."

Ah, typical Riza. No nonsense. Always straight to the point. Roy couldn't avoid the subject now. He set down his fork and straightened up in his chair.

"Right…" he sighed. "That _is_ what I came here for, isn't it?"

The novelty of the idea had worn off, but it was still the reason he came to the Hawkeye estate during his leave instead of spending the time with his aunt and sisters back in Central. It was still something he felt could benefit the people and the country, and Riza obviously believed that too. Roy took a deep breath.

"All right," he said, "We'll start after we clean up here."

 **0000000**

If the circumstances weren't so serious, Roy would have blushed at the scene before him. Riza lay on her bed on her stomach, topless, her arms tucked under her, holding her shirt to her chest in an effort to cover herself better. She was obviously just as nervous as he was, a light blush tinting her cheeks. They had agreed to do this in her room so that she could be more comfortable while he copied the array.

He had decided the best way to go about deciphering things was by copying the array in parts onto paper so he could study it all without having to look at her back the whole time, and then he would burn the pages when he was sure he had memorized and understood everything. The whole reason the secrets of flame alchemy had been put onto Riza's back in the first place was to keep it from getting into the wrong hands. Keeping the copied notes would have made her sacrifice pointless, so burning them was the only option he even considered.

Roy cleared his throat and stepped closer to her, paper and pencil in hand.

"I'll get started now."

He picked up a book to have something solid to write on and dragged the chair from the desk over to the side of the bed. He sat down, placing the papers on top of the book and setting it on the edge of the bed.

"I'll try to be quick. Just relax," he said in what he hoped was a calming tone. "I'm going to start at the top with the part under your neck and then move on to the part on your left shoulder." He wasn't sure why he was telling her this. Maybe he hoped it would make her feel more comfortable if she knew what he was doing.

Riza nodded, not saying anything. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, closing her eyes, trying to relax. It was just Roy. There was no reason to be nervous.

She felt Roy lean over her, his face coming within inches of her back. She could feel his breath and the warmth of his skin as he leaned in close, the sound of their breathing and the scratch of pencil on paper were the only noises in the room. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and a chill ran down her spine at the sensations. She bit back a shiver, but Roy must have noticed as she felt him stiffen and pause in his writing.

"Are you cold?" he asked. "I'm sorry, I didn't even think about that..."

Riza shook her head. That was certainly _not_ the why she was getting chills, but there was no way she'd tell him the actual reason.

"N...no, I'm fine." she said, flustered.

Roy shrugged and Riza was grateful he hadn't seemed to realize what his close proximity was doing to her nerves.

"Okay, well just let me know if you need anything."

He was nothing but a gentlemen while studying the array, never once physically touching her back, and it was quite the relief. Riza wasn't sure how she would have reacted if he had actually touched her, considering how nervous she already was with him just being so close.

Riza didn't know when it happened, but she must have fallen asleep at some point because she found herself waking up to the sound of Roy saying her name. When she opened her eyes, sunlight still flooded the room, so she must not have slept too long. She glanced up at him and he smiled at her.

"Hey. I'm finished copying for the day." he said to her, holding up the papers in emphasis. "I'm going to go try to decipher this, so go ahead and get dressed."

"Okay. What time is it?"

"A little after one." he replied, standing up and heading to the door.

"Ah, I'll make us some lunch then."

Roy nodded and smiled at her.

"That'd be great. Would you mind bringing it to my room though? I'd like to get these notes deciphered and finish studying them as quickly as possible so I can burn them."

"Of course." she replied, returning his smile.

"Thanks." he said, and left her room, closing the door behind him.

 **000000**

Their days went on in a similar fashion as the first, getting up early, eating the breakfast Riza made, cleaning up the dishes, then moving to her room so Roy could copy down the next couple of sections of the array, using the rest of the day to decipher the notes so he could study them later.

After that first day, Riza felt so comfortable around Roy that she wondered why she had ever felt nervous in the first place. He made her feel relaxed and safe while he worked and she knew she had been correct in trusting him with the secrets on her back.

Almost a week into studying the array and Roy was becoming decent at being able to decipher some things directly from Riza's back. He had already memorized most of the symbols he had been studying, and he was able to write down the translations onto paper right away so he could begin memorizing the formulas instead of wasting his time on looking things up.

He was almost finished deciphering everything, the next step being to put his newfound knowledge into practice, when he came to the second to last section of the array. He managed to understand most of it, and what he read made him narrow his eyes in confusion. He recognized the first four lines as a poem that seemed to talk about love, and he wasn't sure what any of it had to do with alchemy. The final line read 'I apologize' and it just confused him even more. He sat still for a few minutes, trying to figure out what kind of meaning it held. Why was something like this included in the array? Why did Berthold Hawkeye feel the need to inscribe this specific thing on Riza's back?

And then it hit him like a ton a bricks. Was this Berthold's way of apologizing to his daughter? His way of telling her he cared and he felt bad about how he treated her, but didn't know how to express himself? The more Roy thought about it, the more it became clear that that was the only explanation.

Riza noticed Roy had stopped writing several minutes ago and she finally turned to look at him.

"Is something wrong?"

Her voice almost startled him and he met her gaze. He didn't know what to do. How would she react if he told her? Would she be upset? But this was something her father had placed right into her very skin. She had a right to know what was on her back, especially when it involved something that was obviously directed at her.

"I…" he paused, not sure where to even begin. After a few moments of deliberation, he sighed and decided he needed to not dance around the subject and just tell her. "There's a section on the array that doesn't actually have anything to do with alchemy. It's something written for you."

Riza moved so she could look at him better without having to crane her neck. Her brow furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Roy read the inscription to her, noticing she had gone very still as he did so, and it seemed like she was holding her breath. When he finished, he made eye contact with her again.

"I...I think he was trying to apologize and tell you that he loved you."

For a few moments, they were silent, and he thought maybe Riza hadn't heard him. Or perhaps she was so upset she couldn't move? He was about to ask if she was okay when he noticed her eyes glisten in the sunlight that streamed into the room. He realized she had been trying to hold back tears.

Roy almost panicked when she failed to keep herself in check any longer and tears started streaming down her face, a quiet sob pushing its way out of her. He had never seen Riza cry before. He knew how to handle his sisters when they cried, but how would Riza react to him hugging her or trying to console her? He realized it didn't matter and he wanted to do what he could to comfort her. He grabbed the blanket from off the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders to cover her before lifting her into a sitting position and pulling her against him.

"It'll be okay." he said gently, rubbing her back in a calming gesture. "I've got you."

Riza's crying escalated until her body was wracked with sobs. Roy just continued to hold her tightly.

 **000000**

Thanks for reading. See you next chapter.


	6. Birth of the Flame Alchemist

"I think we should take a break today." Roy said, sitting at the kitchen table with Riza, watching her push her breakfast around on her plate. "We should do something to relax, I'm getting a little worn out trying to work out the array."

That was a lie. He was fine and could have easily finished deciphering the last part on her back and started practicing what he had learned, but after what happened the previous day, he didn't want to push her and decided they should put off studying the array for just one day.

Riza stared at him with a skeptical look.

"Are you sure?"

Roy nodded and grinned at her.

"Yeah. Anything fun to do around here? You know I never got the chance to do much other than studying when I stayed here last time."

Riza shrugged and took a sip of her tea.

"Not really." she replied, not going into any more detail.

Roy inwardly sighed when she didn't say anything else. He wasn't sure what he expected. Short answers were normal for her, he knew that, but he really thought she would have elaborated on that more. Maybe even try to come up with ideas of how to spend a day off.

He sat back in his chair, sipping at his coffee, trying to think of how they could spend the day. They could always go hiking, wander around the woods, talk about what they had been doing in their time apart. But that would only take up so much time and it would make her think about her father. No, he had to come up with something that would take her mind off things. Something that would distract her enough.

Roy glanced at the floor, a large crack in one of the tiles catching his eye. It must have been new. He didn't remember such a large crack while he had been living there as an apprentice. And then the idea struck him. They could work on repairing the house. Her father never seemed to care that the house was falling apart, but Roy certainly did. He never liked the fact that his master and Riza had been living in such poverty and just because her father never bothered to repair anything with alchemy didn't mean Roy couldn't. He never had time before to help fix up the place, but now they had an entire day ahead of them. They could easily get some of the larger problems fixed up and he wouldn't do it all with alchemy, just the more difficult things, so that way the work would require enough concentration that it might distract Riza.

Roy set his coffee cup down on the table, a little harder than necessary, and smiled triumphantly at Riza.

"I know what we're going to do today!"

Riza just blinked at him, waiting for him to continue, clearly not amused and possibly annoyed that he had slammed his cup down on the table. Roy tried to ignore the look she gave him.

"We should try to fix up the house." he said, gesturing around the room. "I never had the chance to help before, but now that we have time on our hands, we can repair things so the house doesn't fall apart around us."

Riza still stared at him, expression not changing. He could tell she was thinking about his idea though. After a couple of minutes of silence she finally nodded, making eye contact with him while she seemed to exaggerate setting her teacup down gently. Roy got the feeling she had done it on purpose, a silent reprimand for him being rough with his coffee cup.

"Alright, Mr. Mustang." she said. "I think that's actually a good idea."

Roy's grin grew wider. He was definitely happy that she had approved.

 **000000**

The roof was the first thing Roy deemed necessary to fix and he needed a circle to do it, otherwise it would have taken him days to repair. He also used transmutations on the curtains with holes in them, the cracked floor tiles in the house, and anything else that would have taken them too long to fix without alchemy. He managed to finish all of that by early afternoon, and was able to start helping Riza patch up and repaint the walls inside. She had already done most of it so they were able to move to the outside walls quickly. Roy picked up a bucket of paint, spackle, and a brush to bring outside.

"I'll take this stuff outside and start working while you finish up in here." he said to her, eyeing a spot of paint on her nose. He chuckled. "You've got something, right here."

He set down the bucket of paint and wiped her nose with the end of his sleeve. The shirt was old and already covered in paint and dirt from working all day anyway. A little more paint on the sleeve didn't matter.

Riza blushed as he gently rubbed the paint off her nose.

"Oh, thank you…" she said, turning away and getting back to work on the last section of wall she was repairing.

Roy smirked.

"No problem." he replied, picking up the paint can and walking through the kitchen to the door that led to the back porch.

He opened the door and stepped out onto the enclosed rickety wooden porch. The stairs seemed like they'd need to be repaired soon, but he figured he'd wait with that until they were done repairing the siding.

Something a few feet away caught his attention and he had to do a double take. A shotgun sat beside the door leading out of the covered porch, a few boxes full of shells were piled on the ground next to it. Since when did the Hawkeye's own a gun? Had he just never noticed before? Had they kept it hidden? Why was it out here now? Roy cocked an eyebrow, turning away from the gun as the door to the house opened and Riza stepped out carrying another bucket of paint.

"Have things been dangerous in the area since I've been gone?" Roy asked.

Riza looked at him, furrowing her brow.

"What do you mean?"

Roy motioned toward the gun with his head. Comprehension flitted across Riza's face.

"Ah, no. It's just something I took up to...pass the time after you left."

"Really?" his voice sounded disbelieving. "You any good?"

Riza shrugged.

"I'd like to think so."

Roy grinned, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Want to test that?"

Riza stared at him incredulously.

"Are you kidding?"

"Aw, c'mon Riza, it might be fun. Maybe I could teach you some pointers."

Riza rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Fine." she relented, setting down the paint can and wiping her hands on her apron before untying it and draping it over the can. "I hope you're not a sore loser."

Roy smiled and laughed at that, but he probably shouldn't have. Twenty minutes later found him frowning as Riza hit every target she aimed at. Whatever he had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that. He cleared his throat as she finished and handed him the gun.

"Well that, uh, that was really good…"

Riza stepped back from him and crossed her arms, keeping a straight face, but Roy definitely noticed that she was fighting to keep her lips from curling up into a satisfied smirk. He inwardly groaned. Good thing he hadn't turned this into a bet or anything. Who knew the shy little girl he had lived with for three years had a really good eye. He had still been thinking of her as the quiet kid she had been while he was an apprentice, so of course he didn't expect her to show him up. Maes would have been rolling on the ground in laughter if he was there.

Roy took a deep breath and took his position to shoot. He managed to hit all the cans except one. Glowering, he lowered the gun and could have sworn he heard Riza laugh quietly, but when he turned to her she was straight faced as ever. The only indication that she had been feeling any kind of emotion was the mirth that shone in her eyes.

"Are you sure you graduated from the military academy, Mr. Mustang?"

"Yeah, yeah. Shooting wasn't really my forte."

 **000000**

The next day found Roy once again in Riza's bedroom, copying the last of the array from her back. He had already learned the important parts and was confident he could get to work with actually starting to practice it pretty quickly after he deciphered this last piece.

"There, that's the last of it." Roy said, finishing up with what he was copying, then standing from his chair at Riza's bedside and walking to the door. "I'll go decode this and then get to work burning all the notes. I think I've got a handle on everything else up to this last part."

Riza smiled and nodded at him as he left her room. He was getting a grasp on everything so quickly and she couldn't help but feel a little proud of him. He'd come so far from that overeager and nervous boy he had been when he first arrived at the Hawkeye estate five years ago.

She stood from her bed and pulled a shirt on before following Roy out the door, peeking her head into his room to find him already sitting at his desk writing busily.

"Mr Mustang." she said. She didn't wait for him to look up at her before continuing. "Dinner will be ready in an hour."

Roy looked up at her finally to let her know he wasn't ignoring her.

"Okay, thanks Riza."

He immediately went back to work and Riza closed the door quietly. He had been acting quite a bit like her father in the past week, spending most of the day in his room, and it concerned her a little. She quickly shook her head of those thoughts, though. He was learning flame alchemy, something that had taken her father years to perfect. Of course he would hole himself up studying all week. He had less than two weeks left of leave time in order to learn everything about flame alchemy. Roy needed to cram as much study time as he could into his days and she wondered if he actually stayed up late into the night as well.

Flame alchemy would not destroy Roy like it had her father. She had to believe that.

She sighed as she entered the kitchen and went about making dinner. In less than two weeks, Roy would leave to become a state alchemist and she would be alone. It wasn't like she wasn't used to being alone, but as much as he ignored her, she still had her father before. Now she would really have no one. She would manage, somehow, but, if she was being honest with herself, the thought of being truly alone scared her.

A little less than an hour later, Roy walked into the kitchen, a lighter in his hand and a grin on his face.

"I figured out how I'm going to practice." Roy said to Riza when she looked at him questioningly. He pointed at the back of the lighter where he had taped a scrap of paper with a transmutation circle drawn onto it. "I drew the transmutation circle for flame alchemy onto this piece of paper and taped it to the lighter. When I flick the lighter on, I can touch the circle and activate it. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm confident it'll work."

He sounded genuinely excited and Riza had to admit that his idea was a good one.

"Dinner isn't quite ready yet, if you wanted to test it out."

Roy grinned.

"Alright. Come with me, let's see if this works."

Riza followed him out to the back yard where he stopped a good distance from anything that could potentially be lit on fire. She stopped to stand slightly behind him as he flicked on the lighter. Slowly he brought his index and middle fingers to the transmutations circle and after after a few moments of deep concentration, the circle lit up and the flame on the lighter shot forward a few feet before dissipating. Roy smiled brightly.

"It worked!" he exclaimed, beaming at Riza.

She smiled at his excitement.

"Well done, Mr. Mustang."

"Now I just need to figure out how to control it."

"I'm sure you can do it. If anyone can, it's you."

 **000000**

"Mr. Mustang." Riza said thoughtfully later that evening as she and Roy cleaned up the dishes from their dinner. "There's something I need to show you before you go back to practicing."

"What is it?" Roy asked, curious.

"It's better if I show you."

Riza wordlessly led Roy into her father's study when they were finished with the dishes. She walked to the desk and opened the middle drawer, producing a small key hidden in a false bottom. She then turned and opened the closet, reaching for a trunk hidden in the back, buried beneath piles of books and papers. Once she cleared everything off of it, she dragged the trunk out and kneeled in front of it, unlocking the latch and opening the lid, dust spilling out around her.

"I had forgotten about this." she began, wiping the dust off her skirt. "Once my father put the tattoo on my back, I didn't really want to think about anything involving flame alchemy. But seeing you practicing with that lighter reminded me of what my father had been working on in the year before you came to us. It's something important that I think could be of use to you."

She reached in and carefully pulled out the only thing in the trunk, a spool of plain white cloth. Roy wondered what a piece of cloth had to do with flame alchemy, but Riza seemed to predict that he would be confused, so she explained before he had the chance to ask.

"He called it spark cloth or ignition cloth, I'm not sure he ever decided on an actual name. When you rub it against itself hard enough, it creates a spark. I'm not sure how father intended it to be used, I just know what it is."

Surprised, Roy took the cloth from her and stared at it, rubbing his fingers over the material. It felt like normal cloth, but when he rubbed the ends of it together with enough pressure, it did indeed create a spark.

"Wow," he said, amazed that such a thing could exist. "Hmmm… Yeah, this is very interesting. It could work... All I need is a spark, really. I don't actually need an existing flame… I need to figure out what to do with it though."

"I know you'll figure it out." Riza reassured him, closing the trunk and putting back into the closet. "Like I said, if anyone can do this, it's you."

That night, Roy layed in bed, mulling over exactly how he could utilize the spark cloth. Berthold must have had some ideas on what to use it for if he had come up with the concept for the material in the first place. Roy just couldn't think of what that idea might have been.

When it finally came to him, he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it right away. Gloves. He would sew the cloth into gloves. It was the only logical thing to do. It would be the easiest way to control when he generated sparks and he could keep them on his person at all times. He'd discuss the idea with Riza in the morning. They didn't have a lot of time if he was going to make a pair of gloves and practice using them before he left to take the state alchemist exam in Central, so they needed to start sewing them right away.

In the morning, Riza and Roy sat in the study, discussing how to make the gloves. He had hoped she knew how to sew as he only knew a little thanks to one of his sisters teaching him. As it turned out, Riza only knew a bit more than him about sewing. But, he supposed that together, maybe they could work it out. Until then, he would continue to use the lighter to practice controlling the flames he created. Control was key to flame alchemy and if he couldn't master that, he probably should just give it up.

A few days and many many hours of work later, Riza came outside to where Roy was practicing and handed him the finished pair of gloves, sigils stitched neatly into the back of each with red thread. The sigils had been Roy's doing, but putting together the actual gloves was all Riza.

"That's amazing, Riza." he said, taking the gloves from her and trying them on. "You did it so fast. I'm impressed. Thank you."

"Of course." Riza replied, moving to stand a bit behind him. "But, you don't have much time left, so stop admiring the gloves and get to work. I didn't spend the last few days making those things for nothing."

"Right."

He stood for while, wondering how to go about creating the spark. He went through several different motions, from rubbing both hands together, to rubbing an index finger over the other, to swiping an index finger over the palm of the other hand, until he finally gave a snapping motion a try, and he nodded in satisfaction at that. It seemed like that would be the easiest and quickest way to go about putting enough pressure on the cloth to generate a spark.

"Snapping is kind of classy." he said when Riza wondered why he had decided on that particular method. "It might make me look cooler too, don't you think?"

He posed like he was ready to snap his fingers, putting on his best smoldering look.

Riza just shook her head and walked back into the house, seeming to be impervious to his attempted charm.

 **000000**

The day of Roy's departure finally came and thankfully he had all but mastered flame alchemy. That mastery would come very soon, but for now, he was confident enough in his abilities that he knew he would pass the state alchemist exam with flying colors. Riza, too, was positive he would pass. Using flame alchemy, especially once he got his gloves, seemed to come naturally to him. Like he was born to be the world's first flame alchemist.

It was raining, the clouds darkening the sky despite it being before noon. Roy, donned once again in his military uniform, stood beside Riza, who held an umbrella over them, as they waited for his train. Riza had been unusually quiet all morning, even for her. They were the only ones at the station so her silence was even more apparent.

Roy, on the other hand, had looked a bit nervous all morning, like he was trying to come up with some way to say something.

"Don't forget that rain isn't good for your alchemy." Riza suddenly spoke, nearly startling Roy.

"Ah, right, I'll be careful of that."

Silence enveloped them once again. Roy kept glancing at Riza, who never once looked in his direction, and he toyed with a box in his pocket. He didn't know why he was so unsure of how to go about giving her the gift he had for her. It wasn't like he was proposing or something. They were just friends, after all. Maybe it was because he had never seen her receive a gift before and he wanted it to be a good memory for her.

Roy finally took a deep breath and turned to Riza, pulling the small box out of his pocket.

"Hey, Riza." he started, waiting for her to turn to him. "I have something for you. As a thank you for everything you've done for me, everything you've given me."

Riza raised her brow as she stared at the box in his hand.

"It, uh, it's nothing fancy, just something small I made the other day. But I wanted to give you something as a token of my gratitude. Without you, me being able to become a state alchemist would never have even been a consideration."

Riza looked up at him and then back to the box before taking it from his outstretched hand. She opened it and there, nestled inside some tissue paper, was a pair of silver stud earrings. Her eyes widened and she looked up at him again.

"You made these?" she asked, and he nodded. "I...Thank you, Mr. Mustang."

They were simple, yet elegant, and they were perfect for her. Roy took the box back before she could say anything more and helped her put them on. He smiled and handed the box back to her.

"They look good on you! I was worried you wouldn't like them…"

"I do like them. They're perfect." she paused for a moment. "I…"

Her voice was drowned out by the loud whistle as the train pulled into the station. Roy hadn't seemed to notice she had been saying something and picked up his suitcase.

"Well, I guess this is it." he said. "Don't forget, if you need anything, you can contact the military any time and ask for me. I'll be stationed in Eastern once I take the state alchemist exam in Central."

Riza nodded.

"Okay." she replied. "Thank you. Goodbye, Mr. Mustang. And good luck."

He smiled down at her, thinking for a moment before dropping his suitcase and pulling her into a quick hug.

"Goodbye Riza, take care."

Roy stepped back from her, picked up his suitcase, and hurried out from under the umbrella and onto the train.

Riza stared after him, looking in the windows of the train, trying to spot him. Just like the last time he had left, he sat in a seat as close to her as possible and waved out the window at her as the train pulled away. She waved back until he was out of sight.

As she turned to go home, she touched one of her new earrings lightly, a distant look in her eyes.

 **000000**

I honestly couldn't decide if Roy would have come up with the idea for spark cloth, or if it was something Berthold had created. After a brief discussion about it on Tumblr, I decided that there just wasn't enough time for Roy to come up with something like that, let alone go about creating it. So I decided on what you saw in this chapter.

Anyway, as always, thanks for reading. Feedback is loved and appreciated. I love to hear what people think of my work.


	7. Seperate Ways

Roy Mustang was gone and Riza was alone. She shouldn't have been upset. She knew what was going to happen, knew that he would leave once he learned flame alchemy. She had expected it, known it.

It still didn't make it any easier.

He was almost like her father in that way. Taking what he wanted from her and then leaving her to fend for herself.

Riza cursed herself for such a thought. Roy Mustang was not that kind of person. He had a dream to chase and it was a wonderful dream, one she believed in wholeheartedly. He was doing good for the people with alchemy, protecting the country. He couldn't drop everything to stay with her just so she wouldn't be lonely. How ridiculous. Being a soldier in the military, not to mention a State Alchemist, was a demanding job. She needed to stop thinking about the friend she lost and start thinking about what she was going to do with her life now that her father was gone.

It had been a few months since Roy had left and became the Flame Alchemist. He passed his exam and earned the title a few days later. Riza had read about it in the papers. He was the youngest State Alchemist in history, getting his license and the rank of Major by age twenty. She was proud of him.

Riza had spent these last months working at a flower shop in her small town. The old woman that owned the place was kind, but couldn't offer to pay much. It was just enough for Riza to get by, though, especially now that she didn't have her father to care for. She could actually buy enough food for herself now that she wasn't spending most of her income on medication.

She fell into a daily routine that was slow and casual, even relaxing, but she found that she was not happy or content with the direction her life was taking. She would be eighteen soon and if this was what she had to look forward to for the rest of her life, it was disappointing.

Riza sat in an arm chair in the library of her home, only paying half attention to the book in her lap. The house had felt so huge now that she was the only one occupying it and she usually spent all her time in the kitchen, library, or her own bedroom. She sighed as she moved to get more comfortable in her seat, pausing when she felt something poke her from inside her skirt pocket. Her brow wrinkled as she reached into her pocket to figure out what had jabbed her.

She pulled out a small wrinkly card, the card Roy had given her at her father's funeral. She had forgotten about it and left it in her pocket all this time. The print was worn, having gone through a few washings, but it was still legible. How had she not noticed that there was something left in the pocket until now?

Riza read over the words on the card, wiping her thumb across the print, her eyes unfocused and deep in thought.

Maybe there _was_ something more she could do with her life.

 **000000**

After earning his State Alchemist license, Roy Mustang assumed his post in Eastern under the command of General Grumman. Maes Hughes was also stationed there, in the intelligence department, and Roy couldn't have been happier about that. They even stayed in the same room in the barracks for a while, until Roy found his own apartment. The salary he earned as a Major was quite a bit more than what Hughes was earning as a Private right out of the academy. It gave Roy a lot more privileges, for which he was extremely grateful.

Life in the military wasn't exactly what he expected, much of it being paperwork and the occasional job out in the field when a State Alchemist was needed to help apprehend a criminal. He was kept very busy, but that didn't surprise him. Even his days off had him catching up on paperwork in his apartment, and the rest of his free time was usually spent sleeping or practicing his alchemy.

Most of his time was spent assisting General Grumman, and the two got along well. Grumman took Roy under his wing and decided he would teach the boy a few tricks he had learned over the years, most of which involved tactical deceit and espionage. Roy seemed skeptical at first, not knowing what any of that had to do with an average life in the military, but Grumman assured him it was a very useful thing to know in their profession. It was why he had such close ties with Madame Christmas. Grumman claimed that forming an information network was one of the best things he had ever done, and Roy was already halfway there thanks to his aunt and sisters being who they were.

"You never know when blackmail could come in handy." Grumman had said, and Roy didn't argue. He was a general after all and Roy was sure he didn't get there with just his looks alone.

Grumman also took up teaching Roy chess while they discussed things. Roy caught on to the game pretty quickly and enjoyed playing with the old man, even if he never won.

Several months of this had gone by before Roy finally found himself with some free time that didn't involve catching up on sleep or paperwork. He had just gotten off the phone with Hughes who had apparently found a girl he really liked and the man hadn't stopped gushing about her the entire call. It almost annoyed Roy, but this was his best friend, so he let it slide. Hughes couldn't go on bragging about his girl forever, right?

That thought process brought him to think about Riza and he wondered what she had been up to since he left her. He hadn't had a chance to write her a letter yet. It would have been so much easier to call to check up on her, but the Hawkeye estate didn't have a phone. It was too expensive to maintain.

He decided that that was what he was going to spend his evening doing, and he pulled out some paper and a pencil and began writing. The letter was nothing detailed, just something to let her know what he had been up to and that he wanted to make sure she was doing okay. He would mail it in the morning and hoped that she wouldn't be too upset that he hadn't written her until now.

When over almost two months passed and Roy still had not received a reply to his letter, he was both concerned and upset. Was she angry with him and decided to give him the cold shoulder? Or had something happened to her? His job didn't leave him too much time to ponder these things, though.

He ended up writing another letter to her a few months later and when he didn't get a reply to that one either, he gave up, assuming she just didn't want anything to do with him. This thought definitely made him a little sad. He thought they were friends. Her ignoring him might have been his own fault though. It _had_ taken him almost a year to finally write to her.

Life went on, and he buried himself in his work and meetings with Grumman, who taught him how to use his good looks and knowledge of dealing with women to his advantage. With Grumman's guidance he created a facade of uncaring nonchalance so no one would think twice about him being any kind of serious threat to their positions, and Roy decided to forget about the girl he left behind.

 **000000**

Several months after Roy had been stationed in Eastern, General Grumman found a most interesting application for the military academy sitting on his desk. He had to reread the name a couple of times before he could believe what he was seeing. The applicant's name gave him pause. Riza Hawkeye. The last name was so rare, he was sure there was only one man who had it. Berthold Hawkeye had a daughter, it was the only conclusion he could come up with. The age and time frame made perfect sense.

Grumman glanced at a photo of his wife and daughter and smiled. He had a granddaughter.

 **000000**

When Riza turned eighteen, she immediately entered into the military academy, determined to not wait around for her life to begin.

The academics portion at the academy was pretty easy for her and she even found herself helping her roommate often, sharing notes and explaining things.

Because there were only two female cadets in the academy in her year, she and the other woman were given their own room in the barracks. The other cadet, Rebecca Catalina, was an interesting girl, full of fire and a lust for life, and they became quick friends. It was refreshing to see someone so carefree and Rebecca reminded Riza a bit of a Roy when he was an apprentice.

Rebecca was always complaining about how there were no decent guys at the academy, and Riza wondered how she found the time to consider such things. Between academics and physical training, there really wasn't a lot of time for personal endeavors like dating. Not that Riza would have considered dating anyway. There was no way she could ever have a normal romantic relationship with anyone. Her father had made sure of that. So when Rebecca went on about men and asked if Riza had anyone she liked, or a type she was interested in, Riza never really said much and tried to ignore the fact that a certain raven haired alchemist popped into her head every time.

Riza and Rebecca both excelled in the use of guns and were quickly enlisted into the sniper portion of the academy on top of the normal work given to cadets. This left them even less free time, but they were proud of themselves for being a part of the small group of women that had ever been selected for the program. Soon, Riza far surpassed Rebecca in marksmanship and she became pretty famous around the academy. She secretly enjoyed the fame, but being well known for her abilities would end up changing her life in the worst, most unexpected way.

In her last year at the academy, because her school was stationed in the East and the field was so understaffed, Riza was enlisted to join the war effort in Ishval as a sniper.

 **000000**

Sorry this is so short and not much is going on, though it does explain some important things I thought people should know. The next part is Ishval and I wanted that to be its own chapter so that's why I cut it here. You get to look forward to a lot of angst in the next part. It will not be a happy chapter.

Thanks for reading!


	8. Ishval

This chapter is pretty angsty. If you've read the manga chapters involving Ishval, you should be okay reading this, as many scenes here are just taken directly from the manga, with the exception of the first part and a few minor additions throughout. Feel free to skip this chapter though if the manga depiction of the Ishval war was too much for you. I don't go into too much detail, but it might be enough to trigger someone and I don't want to upset anybody.

 **0000000**

The heat in the Ishval desert was like nothing Riza had ever experienced. The sun beat down relentlessly as she lay in position at her post high in the tower of a ruined building, gazing through the scope of her sniper rifle. She had covered herself in her white coat to both conceal her better and attempt to block out the sun. It didn't help much. She was still sweating buckets.

She had only been in Ishval for two days. Her first day was spent being assigned to a unit and going over procedures on how things were to be handled within the camps and out in the field. There wasn't much in the way of preparation and they had basically just thrown her into the fray. This was her first day at her assigned post and to say she was nervous was an understatement.

It was late into the afternoon when she spotted two Ishvalan men hiding in the shadows of large rocks off in the distance. They were heading for her team's camp. Riza swiveled her gun to look through the scope at the camp. No one else had seemed to notice the Ishvalans heading toward them. She looked back to the men and, on closer inspection, noticed that one of them was smaller than the other. He didn't look any older than ten and she frowned. Were children caught up in this too? She hadn't been given any details other than "shoot to kill." Until right then, she hadn't realized what that had actually meant.

She closed her eyes tightly. Maybe they were just hiding. Maybe she could let them go and it wouldn't be of any consequence. She kept trying to come up with excuses to avoid shooting, but when she opened her eyes again, all hope vanished.

The Ishvalans had gained speed, knives in their hands. They were very close to the camp and were obviously poised to attack. Riza clenched her jaw. Her assignment was to protect her team. If she didn't shoot them, her allies would be killed instead. Her breathing became ragged and uneven. She had never killed anything before, let alone a person. Could she really do this? The men got closer and closer to the camp until she finally couldn't stall anymore. She held her breath and pulled the trigger. Once. Twice.

It was over in a moment and the Ishvalans fell, a bullet in each of their chests.

Riza let out her breath slowly as she looked at the bodies through her scope. They were dead. She had killed them. _It was to save your team_ her mind tried to rationalize, but it was of no consolation. She let her rifle slip from her fingers. Rolling onto her back, she covered her face with her hands and sobbed. This wasn't why she joined the military.

This wasn't what she wanted.

 **0000000**

The day his excellency King Bradley signed the "Fuhrer order number 3066," calling in the State Alchemists and starting the Ishval annihilation campaign, everyone knew the civil war would be over soon.

Roy heard the news during a chess match with Grumman. The old man did not look pleased when he answered the phone and was informed of the order, but he had no say in the matter. It was time for Roy to truly become the human weapon all State Alchemists were meant to be.

The moment he stepped onto the sands of the Ishvalan desert, Roy steeled himself for what he knew would be one of the most difficult things he'd ever faced in his life.

It would end up being even worse than what he had gone in expecting. His days in Ishval were a nightmare he would relieve in his dreams for the rest of his life.

A unit had been sent deep into the field to take out a group led by an Ishvalan Warrior Priest that had gotten close to the camps. The unit was having a difficult time even getting a shot off in retaliation.

"They're strong." one of the men said, quickly ducking behind a wall to avoid another attack.

"Yeah. Just one of those Ishvalan Warrior Priests takes out about ten of our men." said another, reloading his rifle and trying to return fire.

Two other soldiers dragged away the men that had been wounded, yelling for a medic.

A soldier from another unit that had been stationed further into the city suddenly came running around a corner shouting at them.

"Hey! Retreat! Retreat!" he yelled, waving his arms frantically. "The Flame Alchemist is coming! If you don't want your asses caught on fire, hurry and get the hell out of here, you trash!"

The men all looked horrified, gasping and scrambling to get out of there as fast as they could.

The area grew silent as the men fled, the Ishvalans ceasing their gunfire when they realized they weren't being attacked anymore. Roy slowly walked into the ruined city and lifted his gloved hand. He grimaced, pausing for a minute, then snapped, sending a column of fire shooting from his fingers, blasting a path through the crumbled buildings until it hit its mark. The Ishvalans screamed as their flesh burned. Roy stepped forward to one of the fallen Ishvalans. The man was still alive and he looked up at Roy.

"An alchemist…" the man wheezed as Roy stared at him with an unreadable expression. "This is...the use of alchemy...that you were hoping for…? Isn't it a skill used for the…people?" Roy snapped again and engulfed the man in flames as he finished speaking, then turned and walked away, trying to block out the screams.

A lieutenant colonel, who was in charge of the unit Roy had saved, approached him, nodding with a satisfied look on his face.

"Good work." the older man said, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

Roy stiffened, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists at his sides. This wasn't why he joined the military.

This wasn't what he wanted.

 **00000**

"Roy!"

Roy turned at the sound of his name and was greeted by a friend he hadn't seen since the man had been transferred to Central over a year ago.

"Hughes! So you're here too?"

"Yeah, it's been a while, Ro…" Hughes stopped himself and grinned. "I guess I should be calling you Major Mustang out here."

"Well, to be precise, out here I have a 'position equivalent to a Major' but I actually only have the authority of a Captain."

"Ha! Same as me!" Hughes replied, laughing.

"You became a Captain?" Roy asked, taking off his gloves and carefully stuffing them in his pocket so he could wash his face with water from the trough at the center of camp.

"Just now. Out here, people both high and low keep dying…" Hughes paused and stared at Roy, his expression becoming grim. "You...You've got a different look in your eyes."

Roy met Hughes's gaze. His friend's eyes were distant and cold and he knew they mirrored his own.

"You do too." Roy said, turning to look at his reflection in the water trough. "They're killers eyes."

"Yeah…"

The two began walking toward the other side of the camp, stepping over Ishvalan corpses as if they were just part of the rocks and rubble. They were so used to seeing carnage after only a few months. What monsters they had become.

"It feels like it was only a little while ago," Hughes spoke, a smile on his face again. "Your eyes were sparkling at the military academy. We all sure talked a lot about this country's future."

"Yeah, we sure did…" Roy agreed, smiling slightly at the memory. "About the 'beautiful future.'"

"Ahhh, man. This stuff wasn't included in that future." Maes sighed and his expression turned serious. "Do they really plan to continue this until every last Ishvalan is killed? Throwing even state alchemists out here..."

"Hey, Hughes…" Roy began, and Maes turned to him.

"Hm?"

"This annihilation campaign... If the goal is only to suppress the rebellion, don't you think there are too many risks?"

"I was thinking of that too. This place doesn't have many resources or any commercial value worth speaking of. After wasting armaments to this extent, the only thing to be gained is 'Peace in the East'? At a time when the West and the South are also at an explosive state?"

"I don't understand…" Roy sighed. "Is there something here to go that far for?"

"Right now it's just about ceased," Maes said, scratching his beard in thought. "But if they're to make this place into a base for trade with various Eastern countries in the future…"

"...It would be tasteless to reduce it to a burnt field."

Their conversation was interrupted by a Private hurrying toward them.

"Lieutenant! Lieutenant Hughes!"

Maes looked at the man and frowned.

"It's Captain."

"Oh! Excuse me!" the Private saluted then held out an envelope. "There's a letter for you."

Hughes grabbed the letter excitedly and the Private left to deliver the rest of the mail.

"OOOHHH!" Hughes exclaimed after seeing who had sent the letter, making Roy back away from him.

"What is it?"

"It's my 'Beautiful Future'!" Hughes said, blushing and grinning from ear to ear while holding up the letter.

"Gracia?" Roy said, reading the name on the envelope. "A woman?"

"She's my girl in Central!" Hughes said excitedly. "She's been waiting for my return all this time." Suddenly Maes's expression turned worried. "Ahhh! What'll I do if some other guy is making a pass at her!? No! There's no way that Gracia would leave a great guy like me to have an affair! No no no, but there's still no way the guys around her would leave such a great woman alone…"

Roy scoffed at his friend.

"Hughes...I'll give you a word of advice. It's a common pattern in movies and novels: Guys who talk happily about their family or lovers on the battlefield have a high chance of dying. Just stop it right there."

"Hmph. And what about you? Don't you have something light hearted to talk about?"

Roy frowned, and turned to his friend, an image of a girl with cropped blonde hair and serious brown eyes flashed in his mind for a moment. He chose to ignore it and opened his mouth to reply.

Before he could say anything, a wounded Ishvalan jumped up from the ground behind them, a dagger raised in his hand.

Hughes and Roy whipped around, their eyes wide. Maes pulled out his daggers as quickly as possible to try to protect himself and Roy looked at his hands helplessly as he realized he didn't have his gloves on and there was no time to put them on now.

A gunshot rang out and a bullet sliced through the man's head, blood splattering from the wound, and he fell as Roy and Maes looked on in surprise.

"A gunshot?!" Roy yelled, worried they were under attack. He yanked on his gloves hurriedly and turned to find the source of the gunfire.

"It's okay, Roy." Hughes said calmly, putting his daggers away. "We have the 'Hawk's Eye' on our side."

Roy's eyes widened.

"Hawk…?"

"Yeah, it's a nameless sniper. It's become quite a topic among us. She's still a cadet from the military academy, but she's got good aim. Seems like they brought her all the way out here because of it. Heh… To think they have to bring out even a little chick like that… This must be the end."

Roy frowned and turned from his friend, narrowing his eyes as he tried to catch a glimpse of the sniper in the distance.

Riza looked through her scope at the men she had saved and her eyes widened, filling with surprise, hatred, and anger. It was him. It was Roy Mustang.

She knew he had been using flame alchemy to kill people, had heard the stories, seen his flames. He was using the gift she gave him in a way that made her sick. They had agreed he would use it to help the people of the country, not kill them. She felt betrayed.

He was in the crosshairs of her scope now. It would be so easy to stop him. If she killed him, he would no longer be able to abuse the alchemy she had trusted him with. Her trigger finger twitched.

She paused, taking a deep breath to calm herself, and she slowly released her rifle, closing her eyes. No, this wasn't Roy's fault. She had been the one to trust him. She had been the one to show him the secrets on her back. She had been the one to follow his lead and join the military with the intent of protecting the people. Neither of them had any way of knowing that this would happen, but she believed it was her fault that he was there. It was her fault he was forced to kill people with flame alchemy. If she had never shown her back to him, he wouldn't have been sent here as a human weapon.

She sighed and moved to leave her post. Her shift was over.

"Hughes." Roy said as they made their way back to the main area of the camp. "Do you think you could help me find that sniper?"

"Yeah, maybe. Why?" Maes grinned. "Are tough women your type?"

Roy glowered at his friend.

"No, I just… I'd like to meet her and thank her."

He didn't want to tell Hughes that he thought she might have been someone he knew. The thought made his stomach roll and he hoped he was wrong.

"Alright, I'll ask around when we get back to camp."

 **000000**

Night fell and everyone gathered around the fire pits in the camp, eating dinner, nursing minor wounds, reading letters. Roy and Hughes had spent the last hour asking around about the sniper known as the Hawk's Eye. Many people had heard of her, but no one really knew much about her. Finally their questioning led to a man whose arm was in a sling. Apparently, the Hawk's Eye had saved him and his unit a few days ago and he had actually seen her in person. He pointed to a figure sitting by a bonfire, white coat draped over them with the hood pulled over their head. Hughes nodded at the man, thanking him, then walked back to Roy.

"There she is." Hughes said, motioning with his hand for Roy follow him.

He walked up to the figure, Roy right behind him.

"Yo!" Hughes said amicably, waving to the person by the fire. "Thanks for before. You were the one who shot that, right?"

The person took off their hood, revealing the girl Roy had hoped he would never see in such a place. She looked at him, eyes dead and cold.

"It's been a while, Mr. Mustang." Riza said emotionlessly. "Or perhaps I should call you Major Mustang, now. Do you remember me?"

"How could I forget?" Roy responded immediately. It had been nearly three years since he last saw her, but there was no way he could ever forget her.

' _Ah, how awful."_ he thought, meeting her gaze sadly. ' _Even this girl has a killer's eyes.'_

He noticed that she still wore the earrings he had given her and it broke his heart.

Hughes looked from Roy to Riza and raised a brow. They knew each other? Roy seemed to be deeply affected by her being here and Maes grew curious as to exactly _how_ they knew each other, but he was no fool and wasn't without tact. He knew when he should excuse himself from a conversation, and that's exactly what he did. He said nothing as he backed up and slinked off toward his tent, glancing back at them one last time to find that they were walking away, probably trying to find a place more private so they could talk.

"What...What are you doing here?" Roy asked when they were far enough away from anyone that would eavesdrop.

"I joined the military and was recently reassigned to this unit." she said simply and Roy frowned.

She was treating him like a fool. Maybe he deserved it.

"Yes, I see that, but...Why?"

Riza sighed.

"I...I believed in your idealistic dream about joining the military to protect the people. I didn't know what to do with my life once my father was gone, so I thought… I thought maybe joining the military and protecting the country was something I could do too."

Roy looked at the ground. So he _was_ the reason she was here. She had followed him because she believed in his dream and what had that gotten her? A ticket straight to hell.

They were silent for several minutes before Riza spoke again.

"Major Mustang." she said and Roy turned his attention to her, She mulled over her words for a bit before continuing. "I was...afraid of my father because the sight of him absorbed in his research was as if he were possessed by something. Yet still, I believed in my father's words that this great power would bring happiness to many people."

Riza paused and sighed, staring at her hands.

"I believed that… I believed alchemy would give people dreams and hope, and that the military would protect this country's future...So...Please tell me, Major, why are soldiers, who ought to protect citizens, killing them instead?"

She finally looked back up at him, her eyes full of anguish.

"Why is alchemy, which ought to bring happiness to people, being used for murder?"

Roy stared at her and despaired. How could he answer that when he had asked himself the same question and found no answer?

 **000000**

Roy, Hughes, and Riza sat by one of the snuffed out campfires the next morning, surrounded by other soldiers drinking coffee and preparing for the day ahead of them.

"Why did it turn out this way?" Roy muttered to Hughes, not expecting an answer.

"'Why'? You ask?" came a response across the way. "Why are we killing people? Because that is the job of a state alchemist. That is the task given to us."

Major Kimblee eyed Roy.

"Am I wrong?"

Roy glared back at the Crimson Alchemist.

"Are you saying we should accept it?" he responded. "Just accept such a brutal thing?"

"You can't accept it as your job?" Kimblee replied incredulously, then turned to look at the other soldiers. "Everyone else?"

"If we could, we wouldn't be talking about these things." replied a man behind Kimblee, eyeing the Crimson Alchemist warily.

"That's right…" Kimblee mused, rubbing his chin. "For example…" he glanced around until he spotted Riza. "The young lady there." he said, pointing to her. "You're wearing the kind of face that says 'I'm doing this unwillingly'."

"That's...right." she replied quietly. "Killing isn't enjoyable."

"Is that so?" Kimblee said, smirking at her. "When you defeat your opponent, can you definitely say that you don't think 'I hit him! All right!' and hold pride in your skill? That you don't have even a little moment when you feel a sense of achievement for your work? _Miss Sniper_?"

Riza's breathing grew heavy and she stared at Kimblee with wide eyes. She looked ready to snap.

Roy jumped up to defend her, grabbing Kimblee by the collar.

"Don't say any more than that!" he yelled, glaring angrily.

Kimblee looked up at Roy with a bored expression, not even bothered in the slightest.

"In my view, you are the ones who can't understand." he said calmly. "To seek justice in a place like a battlefield is what's strange. Is it heretical to kill with alchemy? Is it better to kill with a gun? Or is it that you were prepared to kill one or two, but can't bear killing thousands?" Kimblee pointed at his uniform. "When you wore this of your own will, weren't you already prepared? If you don't like it, you shouldn't have worn it in the first place. You moved forward onto this path on your own, why are you playing the victim now? If you're going to take pity on yourself, don't kill people in the first place."

Roy released Kimblee but his glare hardened.

"Don't avert your eyes from death." Kimblee continued, leaning forward and speaking menacingly into Roy's face. "Look at the people you're killing in the face. Don't forget them. Don't forget. They won't forget you either."

Riza's expression matched Roy's. Haunted, with eyes full of fear, despair, and rage. She gripped her rifle tighter and Roy tensed at Kimblee words.

Kimblee stood up a minute later and rebuttoned his uniform jacket.

"Oops, it's time." he said, walking off. "I must go to work."

Hughes stood soon after and waved at Roy.

"I have to go too. Starting today I'm in section eighteen. Bye, Roy."

"Hughes."

Maes stopped.

"Why are you fighting?"

Hughes frowned and stared at Roy, a melancholy look settling in his eyes.

"It's simple." he replied. "'I don't want to die.' That's all. The reason is always simple, Roy."

He left and Roy turned away.

 **000000**

An older Ishvalan man sat against a crumbling brick wall, his hand resting on the back of his injured dog. The man was wounded as well and his breathing was ragged.

Roy stepped in front of the man and a soldier came up beside him.

"Major Mustang." the soldier said. "This is the last one."

A grim expression overtook Roy's face.

"Elder." he said, managing to keep his voice firm and steady despite the turmoil boiling inside of him. "You are the last one… Is there anything you want to say?"

The soldier turned to Roy, surprised.

"Major…!"

Roy ignored him.

The old Ishvalan man smirked. Scoffing at Roy and looking directly into his eyes.

"I curse you."

Roy was full of sorrow and remorse as he lifted his hand and snapped.

 **000000**

The war was finally over. Roy and Maes walked together to where they were supposed to meet the trucks that would take them home. Roy was angry and all but stomped to their destination.

"With this battle, my young ideals were shattered." Roy said to his friend. "Even if I said I'd protect this country, in reality it was everything I could do to just protect a handful of people. What I fool I was! I'm so pissed off!"

"Don't be so upset about it, Roy. The strength of a human is limited. Aren't we humans just like trash?"

"Yeah, that's right. I realized that with this battle. But trash has its own pride as trash." Roy sighed. "The strength of one person is limited...In that case, I'll protect all I can, even if it's just a few… I'll protect what's important. In turn, the people below me will protect those below them. For a small human, at least that should be possible."

Hughes laughed.

"What, geometric progression? That's a child's calculation! An idealistic argument!"

"I don't care if I'm called green." Roy snapped. "Talk about your ideals, Hughes. Just like when we were in the military academy. If we become unable to talk about our ideals, the evolution of humans will come to an end."

"Your way of thinking has changed, but your roots are still green." Hughes laughed, then smirked, pushing up his glasses. "So...that means, if you're going to protect the entire country, you'd need to be at the very top of that progression."

Hughes pointed up to Fuhrer King Bradley who stood tall and stoic, high on a platform in front of them. Roy eyed the Fuhrer, determination and fire returning to his eyes for the first time since he arrived in Ishval.

"It would certainly feel good up there, Hughes. But I can't climb all the way up with my own power, I'm sure of that."

"Sounds interesting…" Hughes said, smirking. "I'll take a shot at it. I want to see how your green ideals would change the country that was built up by that King Bradley, who doesn't even fear God."

Roy glared one last time at the Fuhrer before turning and walking away, proud confidence in his stride. He would achieve this new goal. He would change the country so that something like the Ishval war would never happen again.

 **000000**

Riza lagged behind her comrades as they all filed out to go home. They were talking animatedly about how happy they were that the war was over, that they were to be going home. Amidst the laughter and whoops of joy, Riza saw a small Ishvalan boy, his body just tossed aside like trash, and her face crumbled. She stopped walking and turned. No one took notice of her and soon she was alone, the sounds of celebration growing fainter as the men walked further away. She dropped her rifle, and knelt down next to the boy, lifting his broken body gently and laying him flat onto the sand.

Roy found her later on, packing a few final stones into the makeshift burial mound she had made for the boy.

"Aren't you going to go back?" Roy asked gently. "You'll be left behind."

She said nothing and continued to pat stones into place in front of her.

"Is it a comrade?"

"No." she replied calmly. Almost too calm. She turned to look at him. "An Ishvalan child. He was shot and left on the roadside, alone."

Roy's gaze turned somber.

"...Let's go back." he responded, keeping his voice level and calm. "The war is over."

Riza turned back to the boy's grave.

"The battle of Ishval isn't over inside me yet. No… It will probably never end… I was the one who believed in you and entrusted my father's research to you. I was also the one who chose to go into the military academy, wishing for the happiness of the people. Even if that had undesired results, I can't run from the facts… To deny, atone, or beg for forgiveness is the arrogance of those who did the killing."

Her voice broke and she stopped speaking, her calm exterior beginning to crack. She took a deep breath, fighting back tears. She breathed until she was sure she was under control again. Mustang stood behind her silently.

"I have a favor to ask of you, Mr Mustang." she finally spoke again, her voice stronger than before, more confident and determined. "Please, burn and crush my back."

Roy grimaced in disbelief, horrified that she would say such a thing.

"What are you…!" he didn't even know how to respond to that. How could he possibly do that to her? "There's no way I can…!"

"At least!" she shouted over him, cutting him off. "If I can't atone, then at least so that it can't give birth to another flame alchemist… So that the secrets on my back can't be used…" she turned to look at him, catching his eye. Her expression was steadfast and unafraid. "So I can lay down the bonds to my father and alchemy, to become Riza Hawkeye as an individual… Please."

Roy met her gaze and a terrible realization came over him. He had liked this girl. He possibly even still liked her. This revelation might have made him happy once upon a time, but now? After all he'd done? After what she just asked him to do? The thought was painful and almost made him sick. A monster like him, in love? How disgusting. He didn't deserve it.

Roy looked to the ground dismally.

"All right." he finally answered her, then continued, muttering mostly to himself, though she still heard him clearly. "How much would I have to burn...How far could I go without killing...Or if it would hinder your lifestyle… The depth and range of burns has become within my power." he laughed humorlessly. "How ironic, I've gotten too used to burning people in this battle..."


	9. There Can Be No More Flame Alchemists

I figured I should put a warning at the beginning of this chapter too. I go into minor detail about Roy burning Riza's back. I refrained from anything too graphic to keep the rating at T, but if you feel like you might be uncomfortable reading about it, go ahead and skip to the last part or just skip the whole chapter.

 **0000000**

The Hawkeye estate was eerily quiet as Roy and Riza approached the front doors, bags of medical supplies in their hands. Roy didn't remember this place being so ominous, though it probably had something to do with what they were about to undertake.

Riza had asked him to burn her back and though the thought still had him reeling, he was set on doing this for her. _For her._ He had to keep reminding himself of that fact. She had insisted it was what she wanted, that it was important he understood. She could never be free to live as herself unless the tattoo was destroyed. And Roy was the only one who could do it for her.

Maybe what had him so nervous was not only that he had to hurt her, but that he had to rely on limited medical knowledge to heal her. They were given two weeks of leave after the war for their participation, and Roy wanted to utilize that time efficiently so Riza's back could heal enough before she was expected to return to the academy. There was no way they could go to a hospital. That would defeat the whole purpose of what they were doing. She didn't want to reveal her back to anyone ever again. Burning the tattoo ensured that flame alchemy would be removed from the world, but she still couldn't let anyone see it, burned or not. It was too much of a liability. So, Roy would have to care for her himself.

They had agreed to do this at the Hawkeye estate because the house was reclusive. It was far from prying eyes and far enough from the town that no one would hear should she scream. That thought alone shook Roy's confidence, but he still promised to do this and tried not to let his expressions show how much he was dreading it.

Roy and Riza went straight to the kitchen after entering the house, dropping their bags on the counter. Riza could tell Roy was nervous. Hell, she was too, she'd be crazy not to be. She decided not to rush headlong to what she knew would be a difficult thing for both of them, so she offered him tea or coffee in an effort to help them calm down.

"You know, I could go for some tea actually…" he said.

Riza simply nodded and made two cups of tea, one not too sweet for herself, the other much sweeter with a little milk. Roy thanked her and they sat sipping their tea in silence, neither knowing what to say. What kind of things did one talk about with such a harrowing situation looming over them?

Roy finished his tea far too soon and stared into the empty cup, lost in thought. Riza sighed.

"We should get this over with." she said, standing to place her cup in the sink.

Roy frowned and gripped his cup tighter.

"Right…" he said quietly.

Riza grabbed a bag of medical supplies and turned to face Roy.

"Where would be the best place to do this?"

Roy took a deep breath.

"Uh...The uh, the bathroom I think." Roy cursed himself for being so unsure, for showing his nervousness in front of Riza. She was probably nervous enough herself. "Yeah, the bathroom would be best. There's quick access to water there…"

Riza nodded and moved to leave the kitchen.

"I'll go get ready, then. Meet me in the upstairs bathroom when you're ready."

Roy sat, staring into his empty teacup for a few minutes after she left. After Riza had shown him the tattoo for the first time, all he ever wanted to do was protect her, and boy did he fail spectacularly at that. And now he was going to have to hurt her again. How much more suffering would he have to put her through? It seemed that, recently, all he ever did was cause her pain. The only consolation was that she would most likely be stationed somewhere away from him once she graduated and she would never have to see him again. He would never be able to hurt her again.

Roy finally stood and slowly walked to the sink and placed his cup next to Riza's. He took a deep breath, turned, and walked briskly out of the kitchen and up the stairs, stopping in front of the closed bathroom door. He knocked twice and spoke before he lost his resolve.

"Is it okay for me to come in now?" he called to her.

"Yes." came her reply, muffled by the door.

Roy nodded to himself stiffly and opened the door. Riza sat on the edge of the tub, a towel held to her bare chest. She looked calm and Roy wondered if she was acting that way to try to reassure _him_ or if she really was as calm as she seemed about this. He glanced to the counter and saw that the medical supplies were opened and laid out for easy access. They were as prepared as they would ever be. It was time to stop stalling.

"Where should I be?" Riza asked.

"Um, kneel in front of the tub. Maybe...maybe rest on the edge? That way I can...I can lean your upper body over the tub easier so I can get water onto your back right away."

Riza just nodded and knelt in front of the tub, discarding the towel to the floor next to her once she was facing away from him. She rested her arms over the side of the tub and gripped tightly to brace herself, her chest was pressed to the side and onto the edge. She lowered her head over the edge to rest on her arms in order to ensure her back was completely visible to him.

Roy rolled up a washcloth and held it in front of her. She looked up at it and then to him.

"Something to bite on...Just in case."

Riza took the washcloth, placed it between her teeth, and resumed her position.

Roy crouched to look at the array on her back. It had been a while since he last saw it, but he could still remember everything printed there as if he had just learned its secrets yesterday. The most important part of the array was the top left section. That was the key to understanding how to use flame alchemy, and that was what he needed to destroy. From the way she had asked him, he knew she wanted him to destroy the whole thing, but there was no way he could do that to her. It was bad enough that he was going to have to burn as much as he was, he wouldn't be able to handle burning the entire thing. Not to mention that it could seriously impair her. Burning it all was not necessary and he would only burn what he had to in order to render the array useless.

"I'm going to burn this area here." he said, lifting his hand and gently touching the upper left part of the tattoo.

Riza involuntarily shivered as she felt the bare skin of his fingertips trace a line along the curve of her left shoulder blade and circle the area he was talking about.

"It's the most important piece of information." Roy continued, trying to ignore the way she had trembled beneath his hand. "Without it, no one will be able to decipher the array. I'm not burning anything else, this is all that needs to be erased."

His voice held a finality to it that halted any argument she was about to throw at him. She didn't like the idea of _any_ of the tattoo remaining, but she trusted him. Despite everything, she still trusted him implicitly.

He saw her nod, head still ducked behind the edge of the tub, and he stood, stepping back a bit and retrieving his left glove from his pocket. He had become proficient in using his left hand for pinpoint accuracy. While he used his right hand for massive explosions, he would use his left to surprise enemies that got too close by hitting them with a smaller, but no less deadly, attack. It was a tactic he hated using, but one that kept him alive during the war. And it was now something he was thankful to have mastered.

He was about to ask if she was ready, but realized she had probably been ready from the moment she asked this of him. It was a foolish thing to ask her, especially when it was he who wasn't ready. He never would be, so he decided not to think about it and just do it before she yelled at him.

Roy took a deep breath, leaned closer to her again, braced himself, and snapped.

His flames danced out to her shoulder and the stench of burning flesh filled the air. He wanted to gag, but remained focused on his task, knowing that if he became distracted, he could seriously injure her.

Her body jerked violently as soon as the flames licked her skin. She did not scream, but her agonized whimpers were almost worse and they made him flinch. His hand shook and he faltered, causing the flames to jump to a small patch on her right shoulder and to the bottom right of the array. He grit his teeth as soon as he noticed the flames go out of control and stopped immediately, tearing off his glove and throwing it to the side.

Her skin bubbled, peeling in some areas. His flames had gone deep enough. He could tell he would not have to do it again, and that brought him some minuscule amount of relief as he hurriedly lifted her upper body the rest of the way over the tub. He turned on the faucet quickly, and filled a cup with cool water, slowly pouring it over the burned areas. She flinched in his arms and moaned in pain every time the water hit her back.

"I'm sorry." he whispered to her, his voice distressed and cracking. "I'm sorry. You'll be okay, I've got you." He wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her or himself.

Roy kept repeating apologies like a mantra, even after she passed out, while he continually poured water over her back to cool the burn. Ten minutes later, when the burns had cooled enough and most of the peeled skin had washed away, he lightly dried her back, then retrieved the bandages and gauze from the counter, applying them quickly and gently, forcing his shaking hands to remain steady. Once the bandages were in place, he lifted her carefully, using the towel to cover her front, and brought her to her room, laying her on the bed and removing the wet towel from under her.

He placed pillows under her legs to raise them as much as he could and covered her in warm blankets to try to prevent shock from setting in. She wasn't shaking uncontrollably, so he took that as a good sign.

After he was sure he made her as comfortable as possible, he left her to get a glass of water and painkillers from the kitchen. She would surely need them when she woke.

 **000000**

Riza awoke hours later, her face immediately contorting into a grimace of pain, an involuntary groan escaping her lips.

"Sorry." came a deep voice from above her. She opened her eyes and looked up to find Roy standing over her, bandages in his hands and an apologetic look on his face. "I needed to change your bandages… I was trying to be careful. I didn't mean to wake you."

"It...It's okay…" she said meekly.

Roy dropped the bandages onto the bed and handed her a glass of water and painkillers from the bedside table.

"Here, this should help a little. Make sure to drink all the water."

Riza nodded, wincing after she tried to move. Once she managed to sit up just enough to take the water and pills from him, she downed the pills and finished the water quickly. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was.

"I'll bring you more water once I finish changing the bandages." Roy said as he took the glass from her, then helped ease her back down.

He resumed removing the bandages from her back carefully, though it still made her grimace whenever he pulled one off. He apologized every time.

"Don't…" Riza finally said, her voice still quiet and weak. "Don't blame yourself... This is what I wanted. So don't ever feel guilty." She moved her head to make eye contact with him and smiled softly, trying to make her point clear. "I'm happy. I can never repay you for what you've done for me today. Thank you. Thank you for setting me free."

Roy's eyes widened, suddenly stinging with unshed tears. How ridiculous. She was the one in pain and she was trying to comfort _him_? She was _thanking_ him? It amazed him how strong she was and his adoration for her grew.

He looked away, ashamed. He didn't deserve her smile.

"I… I understand." he said, avoiding her gaze. "Just, try to rest, okay?"

Riza hummed a response and attempted to relax as he finished applying new bandages. It didn't hurt quite as much as taking them off, but she still winced a few times. Roy did not apologize again. He certainly wanted to, but he was trying his hardest to obey her request.

"I'll get you some more water." he said, standing up from fixing her bandages and leaving the room to refill her glass.

Riza sighed, she could tell he was still upset. She didn't know how to make him understand. Yes she was in pain, yes it was awful, but it would pass and she would be able to live her life without the fear of someone using flame alchemy for harm ever again. He had given her the gift of freedom and she would forever be thankful. If only there was some way she could do something for him in return, but anything she did wouldn't be enough.

Then she remembered the new goal he spoke to her about on their way back from Ishval and suddenly she knew how she would show her gratitude. She would protect him. Somehow, she would find a way to keep him safe and help him ensure that his dream became reality. She didn't know where she would end up once she graduated the academy, but she _would_ find a way to help him. With that thought, she drifted off to sleep again.

Roy returned to find her asleep. He quietly set the glass of water down on her table and stole a glance at her almost peaceful face. She grimaced in her sleep now and then, but the painkillers appeared to be doing their job and she seemed relaxed for the most part.

Without really thinking about it, he lifted his hand to her face and gently brushed her bangs out of her eyes, gazing softly down at her, his fingers lingering on her forehead. He wanted to beg her not to go back to the academy. Wanted to tell her to quit and just live a quiet life away from the dangers of the military. But he knew she would never agree to it. She would never back down from the path she had chosen. Riza Hawkeye was too strong willed to settle for a carefree life, and he wouldn't have it any other way. It was just one of the many reasons why Roy Mustang found himself steadily falling in love with her.


	10. Family Ties

Lieutenant Colonel Mustang, who had been promoted for his role in the war, had much to talk about at his first weekly chess match with Grumman since he had returned from Ishval. Maes had been absolutely right when he said Roy would need many supporters if he was going to make it to the top. Roy had thought of Grumman almost immediately. Having a General on his side would be invaluable, so he spent most of the chess match explaining his plans to the old man.

"And how do you know you can trust me?"

"Madame Christmas trusts you, sir. She's always spoken so highly of you, so I know I can trust you."

Grumman chuckled.

"Well, I can't argue with that." the old man said, putting Roy into checkmate. "Well played my boy."

Roy frowned at the game board. He had yet to win a game against the General, but he was getting closer. Roy sighed and looked at the clock.

"Thank you for the game sir, but I have to get back to work."

"Ah, just a minute, I have some paperwork I need you to bring to the filing office for me, if you would be so kind."

Grumman stood and walked around his desk, opening up the top drawer and pulling out a stack of documents. Roy followed the General and stood next to him. Out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but notice a picture of two women on the desk and he had to do a double take. Taking a closer look, he confirmed that he had not been just seeing things. One of the women in the photograph looked like Riza.

"Lovely, aren't they?" Grumman said, as he handed the paperwork to Roy.

"Ah, yes sir." Roy answered, looking up quickly. "I was just surprised. The brunette looks quite a bit like a friend of mine."

"My daughter. The other was my wife."

Roy stared at the old General, stunned and at a loss for words. Grumman went on to explain, seeing that Roy clearly wanted to ask, but didn't know how.

"Many years ago, my daughter ran away and eloped with a man I didn't like. I was angry when she told me she wanted to marry him and I told her it was either him or her family. She chose him and left. I never heard from her again. Though I did find out when she passed away, but only because of the military's interest in her husband, Berthold Hawkeye."

If Roy's eyes grew any wider, Grumman was sure they'd bulge out of their sockets.

"Yes, that's right, my boy. Riza Hawkeye is my granddaughter. I hadn't even known she existed until I saw her application to the academy in Eastern. She is the only person left who could possibly have that last name, so I knew right away." Grumman paused for a moment, then looked sadly at the photograph then back to Roy. "Please, if you speak to her, don't tell her. I would like to be the one to introduce myself, though I'm not sure when I will, if ever. To be honest, I'm afraid of how she might react."

It took Roy a few moments to clear his head and let this new unbelievable information sink in before he could speak again.

"Sir, if I may speak freely?" he asked, and when Grumman nodded, he continued. "I think...I think she would like to know she has another family member out there. I mean, I obviously can't speak for her, but... She may look stern and she may be reserved, but she's very kind. I think you should tell her sooner rather than later. What's the worst that can happen? If she doesn't want anything to do with you, then nothing changes, right?"

Grumman looked thoughtful and nodded slowly at Roy's words.

"You might be right, Mustang. You might be right."

0000000

The shooting range at the Eastern Academy was empty, save for a lone figure practicing at the far end. The Hawk's Eye made shot after shot, perfectly hitting the target with deadly precision with every pull of the trigger despite the slight pain in her back from every recoil. The solitude she found in the shooting range at late hours was often comforting, though lately it made her think too much. With the war having ended only a month prior and her burns still on the mend, having too much time to think wasn't exactly the calming pastime it used to be.

When the chamber of her handgun was empty, she turned to replace it in the holster she left by her bag leaning against the wall behind her, only to be nearly startled by the sight of an old officer, standing several feet away, watching her. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed anyone enter the range. The man was smiling behind his wide gray mustache, eyes crinkling around the sides of his glasses as he applauded her. Riza noticed the stars signifying his rank on his shoulders and she immediately stood at attention and saluted, cursing herself for not noticing he was a general sooner. Strike two for her tonight. What was wrong with her lately? Thankfully the old man didn't seem to mind and casually waved her off.

"At ease, cadet." Grumman said, stepping closer to her. "You have quite a good eye, my dear. I'm impressed."

"Thank you, sir." Riza replied, relaxing only slightly. She was very curious and a little apprehensive about what a general would be doing addressing her, and at such an hour too.

"Please, don't let me distract you."

"I was finished anyway, sir. It's no trouble."

"Ah, very well. You are Riza Hawkeye, yes?"

Now Riza was even more apprehensive, but her face remained impassive, as usual.

"Yes, General…?"

"Ah! Where are my manners this evening. Grumman, my dear. I am General Grumman."

Grumman extended a hand and Riza took it, shaking it firmly.

"Did you need something from me, General?" Riza asked, her hand returning to her side.

"I suppose you could say that…" Grumman said cryptically. "When do you graduate?"

"Next month, sir."

"Ah, well, if you don't mind, I would like to be there."

Riza blinked at Grumman, furrowing her brow.

"Erm. I would be honored, sir." Riza said, hesitantly. "But, well... Why?"

Grumman chuckled.

"You remind me quite a bit of my late daughter." He said, pausing a minute before adding, "In fact, she had the same beautiful brown eyes."

With that, Grumman nodded at Riza, a twinkle in his eye, and turned to exit the range, leaving her staring after him in stunned silence.

 **0000000**

I am really sorry this is so short and pretty much nothing happens. I just felt like I needed to get something out there since I've been on vacation for two weeks and wasn't able to write anything in that entire time. Also, I wanted to start the next chapter in a specific way so I needed to cut this here. The next chapter will be far more interesting with Riza finally being assigned under Roy. So see you then!


	11. Team Mustang

Three times he thought he would never see her again. Three times they met again when it seemed they never would. It is said that if two people meet each other three separate times, they are fated to be together. They are meant to be in each other's lives.

Roy Mustang did not believe in fate, but he couldn't keep that old saying from running through his mind when Riza Hawkeye walked into his office in Eastern. After they parted over two months ago, he truly thought he would never see her again, assuming she'd be transferred to Central where the major sniper unit was. Maybe she'd be assigned as a trainer there. But instead, here she was, standing in front of his desk, face unreadable to anyone but him, her feet together and back rigid at attention with a crisp salute. He wondered if her back still hurt, but said nothing about it as he leaned forward in his chair eyeing her transfer papers in his hand.

"So you went through all that in Ishval," Roy began, looking up at her with a frown, "But in the end, you chose this path."

"Yes. I chose it myself and put my arms through the sleeves of this uniform of my own will."

Roy sighed and leaned back in his chair, flipping through her papers again.

"...What's your field of expertise?"

"Guns." Riza replied, moving to stand with her arms behind her back. Standing for too long still made her back sore and in this way she was able to continue to stand straight and be respectful to her superiors. "A gun is good. Unlike a sword or a knife, it doesn't leave the feeling of a person dying on your hands."

Roy's eyes widened in surprise momentarily before he looked back at her, expression calm again.

"That's deceit." Roy said, laying the transfer papers on his desk. "So you plan on deceiving yourself like that and continuing to soil your hands?"

"That's right." Riza said matter of factly, eyes narrowed in determination. "We soldiers should be the only ones soiling our hands and spilling blood. It should be enough for only us to go through something like Ishval. As alchemists say, the truth of this world can be shown through equivalent exchange. To pay the cost so that the new generation can be born in happiness, we will have to shoulder corpses and cross a river of blood."

Roy frowned, folding his hands in front of him, elbows resting on the desk. He closed his eyes in thought for a few moments. The silence began to grow heavy until he placed his hands flat onto his desk and pushed himself to stand from his chair. He stood straight and looked back at Riza, steadfastly meeting her gaze.

"I'm thinking of recommending you as my aide." He finally said.

Riza's eyes widened at this marginally. Probably no one but Roy would have caught it.

"I want you to protect my back." Roy continued. "Do you understand? To entrust my back to you means you can shoot me from behind at any time."

Riza's expression became stoic again and she returned his gaze with steady determination as he spoke.

"If I step off the right path, shoot and kill me with those hands." Roy never looked away from her eyes, his firm expression leaving no room to doubt that he spoke seriously. "You have that right. Will you follow me?"

Riza closed her eyes and nodded, understanding not only the outward meaning, but also the personal implications behind his words. Just as she had entrusted her back to him, he was entrusting his back to her. Equivalent Exchange.

What she didn't realize was that it was also his way of looking out for her. Keeping her close by as his adjutant and bodyguard meant that it would be easier for him to also protect her.

"Understood. If that is your wish, then even into Hell."

"I am a powerless human. Because of that, I need your help in order to protect everything. I will protect your lives, and you will protect only whom you can… Even if it's only a few, protect those below you. And those below you would also protect those below them. No matter what happens, live. Continue to survive greedily. Live, and let's change this country together."

Those would be the words he said to every one of the men he recruited onto his team in the coming months. Jean Havoc, Heymans Breda, Vato Falman, and Kain Fuery. Along with Riza Hawkeye, his team was unwavering in their loyalty and Roy Mustang could not have asked for a better group of supporters.

 **000000**

In the months after Roy had recruited his personal team, he couldn't help but think of them in terms of chess pieces whenever he played his weekly match against Grumman. It was just something that would pop into the back of his mind whenever he picked up a particular piece.

Of course he thought of himself as the king. Havoc was the knight. Falman, the bishop. Breda, the rook. Fuery, the pawn. And Riza was the queen. That was a given. If he was the king, Riza was his queen.

Roy wasn't sure when he started thinking that way or why it just seemed so natural to think of her like that, but that's just the way he thought and maybe that was why he would never sacrifice his queen in a match if he could help it. Grumman had tried to tell him that that might have been why he lost all the time, but Roy refused to change that one aspect of his game. His queen was too important to be sacrificed. Whether it was because that was just how he had always played or if it was because he had begun to associate the piece with Riza, he didn't know.

 **00000**

"Why the hell are we out here again, Chief?" Havoc said, a cigarette dangling from his frowning lips.

"Robberies, remember?" Mustang replied dully, yawning and leaning back in the passenger seat of the car they were using to stake out a quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of Eastern.

"Yeah, but nothing's happened yet and we've been out here for hours." Havoc complained from the backseat, putting out his cigarette and tossing it out the window when Hawkeye gave him a look through the rearview mirror.

Mustang's team had been assigned to investigate a string of armed robberies in a small quiet neighborhood. Riza had driven Roy and Jean to a shadowed and secluded stretch of street just as dusk was settling in and they had remained camped there the rest of the night. The time was now veering into the early hours of the morning and they were all getting antsy and grumpy, including Fuery and Breda who were camped on the roof of a nearby building so they could get a good look if anything should happen and relay it to Falman who was back at headquarters, asleep by the radio.

Just as Mustang began to doze off, Hawkeye nudged his leg with her foot and he sat up, suddenly alert. He glanced at her and she motioned out the window with her head. Roy followed her gaze and caught movement in the shadows ahead of them. He mentally praised Riza's good eyesight and gave her an approving look. He never would have seen the men sneaking through the shadows if she hadn't pointed them out.

"Time to get this over with and go home." Mustang muttered, loud enough only for Havoc and Hawkeye to hear him.

Havoc sat up straighter in his seat and looked around, having not noticed the silent conversation between his comrades. After searching for a few moments, his eyes landed on the group of four masked men hurrying passed a street lamp, light reflecting off the holstered guns at their sides. He smirked.

"What's the word, Chief?" the blonde man whispered to Mustang, who grinned.

"We take them out and get that much closer to a promotion." he said simply, moving to grab his gloves out of his pocket. "Havoc, you and Hawkeye go in and corner them. I'll stay back in the shadows if you need support, though this looks like it will be another easy one to wrap up."

Hawkeye and Havoc nodded, acknowledging him with a 'yes, sir' before exiting the car quietly and making their way to the group of thugs, swift and silent on their feet with their guns drawn and at the ready. Mustang got out of the car as soon as his gloves were on and strode, not quite as silently, to follow his lieutenants and hide behind the building the men had disappeared into.

After several minutes of silence, Mustang heard the sounds of a scuffle from inside followed by a few gunshots, and he turned the corner to look into one of the windows to try to see what was going on. He grinned proudly when he saw Havoc and Hawkeye had disarmed the men within minutes and were already in the process of handcuffing them. Roy signalled to Fuery and Breda on the roof across the street and waited for them to signal him back, confirming that they were contacting the investigations department to send out officers to take the thieves into custody. With that, he sauntered cockily into the building, nodding at his subordinates. Another mission well done. He couldn't be more pleased with his team.

As he got closer, his grin faltered slightly when he noticed a line of blood on Hawkeye's arm, just below the cap sleeve of her black turtleneck. His eyes narrowed in concern, but he quickly composed himself.

"Was there any trouble?" Roy asked, hoping he would get an answer about her injury without having to ask directly.

"No, sir." Hawkeye replied, all formality and business as she and Havoc kept their guns trained on the men kneeling handcuffed on the ground. "Everything went smoothly."

Roy inwardly sighed. He was sure she understood why he had asked, so of course she wouldn't say anything about it. Not with anyone around, anyway. He should have known.

He would have to ask her about it later.

"Excellent. Good work."

The investigations team showed up quicker than anyone expected and Mustang's team was finally able to go home, thankful that the next day was a day off. No one would have been happy to go into work considering that they had stayed up to an ungodly hour that night.

Fuery carpooled with Breda back to the barracks, while Hawkeye drove Havoc and Mustang home. The car ride was mostly silent with Havoc snoring lightly in the back seat. Mustang sniggered at the man until Hawkeye gave him a look that said to 'be nice.' He sighed and went back to staring out the window until they arrived at the second lieutenant's apartment. Roy cleared his throat loudly and Havoc woke with a start.

"Oh, uh, thanks for the ride Hawkeye." Havoc said, noticing that they were stopped in front of his apartment complex.

He left the car with a yawn, and waved to them as he entered the building.

Hawkeye pulled away to drive Mustang home, extremely tired herself, ready to fall into bed and stay there for the rest of the morning. Roy noticed her weariness and gave her a tired but appreciative smile.

"Thanks for driving me home, second lieutenant." he said, thanking her not just for driving tonight, but for all the times she'd driven him places. She had become his personal chauffeur without him having to even ask.

"Of course, sir." she replied, voice giving away nothing of her tiredness. "You're driving skills are horrendous. As your bodyguard, it's my duty to make sure you're safe, afterall. I can't let you get yourself injured needlessly in an accident."

Mustang pouted, grumbling indignantly as he turned away from her to stare out the window again. That wasn't the response he expected.

"How's your arm?" he asked after a few minutes of silence, not looking back at her and continuing to look out the window.

"Hm?" Hawkeye glanced at Mustang out of the corner of her eye, confused.

He turned to look at her and motioned at her arm with a nod of his head. She looked down and noticed the thin line of blood staining her arm. It really wasn't a big deal and she had completely forgotten that she had been injured.

"Oh, one of the men threw a knife. He had terrible aim though and it only scratched me."

"Hn…"

Mustang scowled and turned to face forward as they pulled up to his apartment building. He didn't get out right away and Hawkeye turned to him with a questioning look.

"Why don't you come up and I'll fix that for you before you drive home." he said casually, as if there wouldn't be any risks if the two of them were to be caught going into each other's apartments.

There was nothing between them, but witnesses wouldn't know that. False rumors were the last thing they needed. Of course, Mustang would just step up his womanizing game should rumors start spreading about him and his adjutant, but Hawkeye had always been strict about following rules. She would never allow them to be in any kind of position that could be compromising to either of them.

This push and pull had been a constant since she started working under him six months ago. He would assure her that rumors didn't matter, that they could hang out like the old friends they were and if anyone said something, it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. But Hawkeye would consistently refuse to spend more time with each other outside of work than was necessary, arguing that risking his career just to spend time with her was ridiculous and unnecessary.

"No thank you, sir." she answered almost immediately. "I can take care of it on my own."

Mustang sighed. He knew that would be her answer. Sometimes he didn't know why he bothered hoping for anything different.

"All right then. Good night, Hawkeye."

"Goodnight, sir."

Roy reluctantly got out of the car and waved to her as he climbed the steps to enter his building.

Riza let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Every time he asked her to come up to his apartment, no matter how mundane or silly the excuse he gave, she wanted to say yes. She missed his company, and even though they saw each other every day at work, it wasn't the same. They couldn't be carefree and talk about meaningless things anymore. They couldn't afford to appear to be very close, even though they really were just friends. Rumors spread like wildfire in the military and she would never let such a thing ruin Roy's reputation and career.

The little voice in the back of her mind telling her to screw the rules and forget about rumors was always there to pester her, though, and sometimes it took every ounce of her willpower to ignore it.

Hawkeye shook her head to clear her mind of these thoughts and wake herself up. She needed to go home and sleep it off.

 **000000**

I hope this slightly longer chapter makes up for the last super short one. Next chapter will have a lot of fun stuff going on, so look forward to that. I should also probably mention that I do not have a beta, so if you notice any mistakes, please don't be afraid to let me know so I can edit them.

Thanks for reading, and as always, feedback is loved and appreciated.


	12. Headaches and Wedding Plans

There was a time when Roy thought there was no way his best friend could go on and on talking about his girl seemingly forever.

He had unfortunately been very wrong.

Ever since returning from Ishval and proposing to Gracia, Hughes would call Mustang at least once a week to gush about his fiance. The wedding was in a week and Maes' calls had increased to occur once a day and his excitement when talking about Gracia also increased tenfold. Roy used to be happy for his friend, and he still was for the most part, but now all that lovey-dovey talk just gave him a headache.

"Hughes. I'm actually busy today, if you have nothing business related to talk about, then please don't call me at work."

"All right, fine, but, don't forget Roy. You need someone close to you to support you unconditionally." Hughes suddenly turned very serious for a moment before going right back to his overly happy demeanor. "That's why you should get yourself a wife!"

Of course the man had to end the call the same exact way each time. Roy slammed the receiver down with an indignant yell.

It was ironic that the woman whom Roy's affections were directed would always happen to walk by and say something every time.

"Please don't break the phone, sir." she scolded lightly as she passed his desk on the way to her own, a stack of papers in her arms.

Hawkeye and Mustang were the last two in the office. The rest of the team had gone home almost an hour ago, but because of Roy's usual procrastination, he and Riza were stuck finishing up paperwork after hours. It should have just been him left to finish the work he put off, but Hawkeye always stayed without being asked. He was always grateful, even if he didn't always voice it.

"Hey, Hawkeye?"

Riza tried not to sigh as she looked up at him. He was stalling again, she could tell.

"Yes?"

"You're still planning on accompanying me to Hughes' wedding, right?"

"Yes sir. Someone needs to make sure you two don't do anything too ridiculous."

Roy glowered at Riza. She was always teasing him. It was a wonder that no one else noticed how sarcastic she could be. Her deadpan humor seemed to go unnoticed by most. He was never actually wounded by her words, though, whenever she picked on him. Well, he _usually_ wasn't.

It was also interesting to realize that, had anyone else insulted him the way she did sometimes, he would burn them to a crisp. Only she could tease him like that and get away with it.

"How cold. We're not _that_ outrageous when we're together at parties…"

Hawkeye couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. She had been witness to Hughes and Mustang drinking with the team on two separate occasions. It was enough evidence for her to contradict his statement with ease.

"Just finish your work so we can go home some time tonight, sir."

"Fine, fine."

Sometimes it was hard to tell just who the superior officer in Mustang's office was.

 **000000**

Four days before Hughes' wedding found Mustang and Hawkeye standing at the Eastern train station in civilian clothes, suitcases in hand. The afternoon sky was clear, birds were singing, the temperature was perfect, and Riza had an excruciating headache. It was not a good way to start the long and potentially busy week that lay before them.

Roy needed to be in Central early for the wedding as he was the best man, and since Riza was his bodyguard, she felt she was obligated to go with him. She had also been invited to the wedding, but since she was not part of the wedding party, an early arrival for her was unneeded. Roy had tried to tell her he'd be fine without her for a few days, but she wouldn't hear it. Secretly, he was glad she decided to go early with him. They hadn't spent much time alone together lately where they could just relax and be themselves. The wedding would be a great opportunity to sit back with old friends and just be normal. Or as normal as Ishval war vets with plots to change the government could be.

Hawkeye ran a hand through her short hair and sighed. Hopefully her headache would go away after a nap on the train. Thanks to Hughes' generosity toward his best friend, they had a private compartment reserved just for them. They would be able to relax the entire trip to Central without having to put up with prying eyes and noise from other passengers. At least that was something positive Riza could look forward to. Maybe the relative silence of a private train compartment would help ease the throbbing pain in her skull.

Riza grimaced as the train came into the station, whistle blowing loudly. Roy glanced at her in concern.

"You okay?"

"Just a headache. I'm fine."

Roy looked skeptical, but didn't push it as they boarded the train and went to their seats. He took Riza's suitcase and put it up into the storage compartment for her as she slid the door closed behind her. It was already much quieter than it had been outside and she sat down on one of the benches in relief, leaning her head back against the seat and closing her eyes.

Mustang flopped onto the bench across the compartment from Hawkeye, arms resting along the back of the seat, legs splayed out lazily in front of him. He stifled a yawn as he stared at Riza. Her face was contorted into a deep scowl and she looked overly pale and uncomfortable, one hand kneading her temple slowly as she tried to relax.

"You sure you're okay?" Roy asked, worry evident in his voice. She looked ill.

Riza sighed and opened her eyes to glare at him, cringing from the bright sunlight shining through the window.

"Like I said, it's just a headache. It will go away soon I'm sure."

Her voice was filled with exasperation as she reached out to pull the curtain down over the window roughly just as the train began moving. Mustang stared and frowned at her for a few minutes, watching her fidget uncomfortably in her seat, before he sat straighter in his seat, then leaned forward, extending his hand to her.

"Come here."

Hawkeye opened one eye and cocked her eyebrow, staring back at him incredulously.

"I don't…" Roy huffed and paused, trying to figure out how to explain himself so she would stop giving him weird looks. "I'm not going to do anything weird. Don't you trust me?"

He put on his best charming smile and Riza bit back an annoyed groan. Of course she trusted him. That went without saying. She wouldn't be by his side if she didn't.

Trusting him in the manner of him keeping his hands to himself was another matter entirely. They were superior and subordinate now. They couldn't just go around touching and hugging whenever anymore. Not that they ever did much of that before. She wasn't all that affectionate for the most part given that she had been alone and denied affection growing up. Roy had been raised in a touchy feely household. His aunt and sisters hugged him all the time. He was the one who always tried to initiate hugs and other such minor displays of affection, not even realizing he was doing it. It was just a natural thing to him. But it had always made her slightly uncomfortable, especially now, when it could be taken the wrong way. There were severe consequences for such a display now that she worked under him in the military and she had been adamant about keeping a respectful distance. So had he, most of the time, but in the few instances where he let his guard down around her, she wanted to smack him for not thinking. Their plans were far too important for them to be ruined by stupid rumors.

Roy gave her a pout and she sighed, giving in. She took his outstretched hand and he gently pulled her to sit next to him on his bench seat, though she ended up practically in his lap.

" _Sir_ …" she said, warning in her tone as she glared at him.

"Just relax, Hawkeye." Mustang said, smirking at her and shaking his head. She was always so formal around him lately and he wished she would just calm down and be herself. "Your headache is obviously worse than you're letting on. Let me help."

Riza opened her mouth to retort and ask how exactly he planned to 'help', but she was rendered silent as he began massaging her head, slowly working his way from her temples to the base of her skull, then back again. She'd be an absolute liar if she said it didn't feel amazing. She soon drifted off to sleep against Roy, the feeling of his fingers running through her hair a comfort she hadn't realized she needed.

 **000000**

Riza slept the entire three hour train ride from East City to Central City. She was very surprised to hear this after being woken up by Roy once the train came to a stop at their destination. She hadn't slept that well in months. Her headache was also miraculously gone. Whatever magic Roy had used on her to help her sleep and relieve her of her headache worked amazingly well. It was worrying.

Riza attempted to push that from her mind as they exited the train. No good would come of thinking about how comfortable she had been in his presence. How relaxed and safe she felt. She frowned at Roy's back as she followed him from the station to find Hughes, who was supposed to be there to pick them up. Those thoughts would only lead to trouble for them so she quickly composed herself before they met up with Maes.

If she relaxed too much around Roy, she wasn't sure she would be able to hide her developing feelings for her superior officer when they were at work, and that would be inexcusable.

They found Hughes within minutes. He was parked in front of the station and waiting for them, Gracia at his side. A huge smile appeared on his face when he saw them and he waved frantically. Roy laughed and hurried forward to greet his friend with a tight hug. Riza stood back a bit and smiled. Hughes could always make any occasion brighter and his happiness was contagious.

Gracia was all warm smiles and welcoming embraces. It was easy to see how Hughes had fallen so hard for her. Riza had extended her hand in greeting, but Gracia had immediately pulled her into a hug instead, saying that Roy was like family to Hughes and any friend of Roy's was a friend of theirs.

Roy and Riza settled into the back of Hughes' car and listened as the man spoke animatedly while he drove them to the hotel they'd be staying at. Hughes had also generously put them up at one of the nicer hotels in Central and Riza was grateful. Roy might have gotten quite a bit of money from his state alchemist grant as well as his pay from being a lieutenant colonel, but Riza's wage as a second lieutenant barely was enough for her to have a decent apartment and buy groceries every week. There was no way she could have afforded a nice hotel like Roy could.

"Here we are, you two!" Hughes said as they pulled up to the large hotel. "It's getting late and we have to be up early for the tux fitting, and even though I'd love to stay and chat longer, we have a few more errands to run tonight so I have to say good bye for now. We'll see you bright and early tomorrow!"

Roy and Maes clasped hands before Hughes drove off, waving out the window.

"It's nice to see him again." Riza said, smiling softly as they picked up their suitcases and wandered into the hotel to check in.

"Yeah, it is." Roy replied, approaching the check-in counter and leaning against it, arms folded casually.

A charming grin graced his features as he addressed the woman behind the counter.

"Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye checking in." he said to the woman who took one look at him and blushed and batted her eyes.

Roy Mustang was just naturally smooth when dealing with women. Suspiciously smooth if you asked Riza.

"Oh, yes, here we are." the woman said, still blushing. "You have adjoining rooms. How many keys would you like?"

"Two for each, please." Riza replied right away. She knew Roy had a habit of forgetting or misplacing things and having two keys would make things much easier should he lose one.

The woman nodded and handed them their keys.

"Have a wonderful stay." she said, smiling brightly and batting her eyes one last time at Roy who thanked her and walked off with Hawkeye, not giving the hotel clerk a second glance.

Their rooms were on the fifth floor at the end of the long hallway. Roy briefly wondered if Hughes might have been involved in making sure their rooms were in such a private area, but that was impossible, surely. You couldn't choose which exact rooms you got to stay in, right?

Damn Hughes and his ulterior motives with everything.

They each entered their rooms to discover they were indeed adjoining, a door making each other's room accessible from the inside. It was convenient as it made Riza's job as a bodyguard easier. They could leave the door unlocked and if anything happened, she could enter Roy's room quickly.

After unpacking, Roy knocked on the door joining their rooms.

"You decent?" Roy joked, chuckling as he heard her affirmation.

He entered her room to see her on the phone, the room service menu spread out in front of her on the bed. He took a seat in one of the plush arm chairs and waited for her to hang up.

"I figured I'd order room service." Riza explained as she put the menu back into the top drawer of the bedside table. "After such a long trip, I'm still tired and don't really feel like going out to eat."

Roy nodded.

"Sounds good to me. Though need I remind you that you did sleep the entire way here." he teased her and she frowned at him, unamused.

"I wasn't feeling well." she reasoned, crossing her arms and leaning back against the bed's headrest.

"You snored a little." he lied, enjoying being the one to tease _her_ for once. "It was cute."

Roy tried not to laugh when she glared daggers at him, but he failed, snickering at her even when her scowl deepened. He only laughed harder when she threw a pillow and nailed him right in the face.

"Lieutenant Colonel Mustang, that is not funny." Riza said, annoyed.

Roy could hear the hint of mirth in her tone though and his grin widened. He picked up the pillow and threw it back at her. His aim wasn't as good and it hit her in the shoulder, but he still hit his target and whooped in triumph. Riza's lips twitched slightly. She had to fight to keep the smile off her face. She was annoyed at him for teasing her and she wanted to be angry with him, but she couldn't help herself. Roy could be such a child sometimes and his playfulness warmed her heart. Riza threw three pillows at him in rapid succession, knocking him off the chair and onto the floor where he just layed laughing for a few moments before hurling the pillows back at her.

The smile on Riza's face was huge and bright and she laughed as they continued to throw pillows, eventually grabbing one each and belting each other with them instead of throwing them. They only stopped when they were out of breath and their jaws hurt from smiling and laughing. They flopped onto the bed next to each other to catch their breath. Neither could remember the last time they had been so carefree.

They each turned their heads to look at one another, grins slowly dissolving as they met each other's stare. Roy's eyes seemed to dart involuntarily to Riza's slightly parted lips then back up to her eyes.

He gazed at her and she gazed at him and if there was ever a more perfect moment, Roy couldn't think of one as he slowly moved closer to her.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door and Roy got up swiftly to get their dinner, a deep blush staining his cheeks.

 **000000**

Honestly, I don't know where the hell this chapter came from. This was not what I had planned, it's just where the characters took me. This all came out of nowhere. Train cuddles and pillow fights had really never occurred to me until I started writing them, but I'm glad they did because holy crap I love this chapter. I had so much fun writing it and it made me laugh as I wrote. I hope you enjoyed this one just as much as I did. I think I might have to write more Royai pillow fights at some point.

Look forward to Hughes' wedding in the next chapter! That's what I had meant to write for this one, but things got out of hand.


	13. The Wedding

The days leading up the wedding were a whirlwind of fittings, rehearsals, and nights spent drinking and laughing with friends. Neither Roy nor Riza mentioned anything about the electricity that seemed to shoot between them the evening they arrived in Central. It was something they certainly acknowledged at heart, but it would probably never be brought up. Not because it was awkward, but because there was no reason to say it out loud.

Both of them understood what had developed between them and voicing it would only bring them additional unwanted angst. They couldn't be together. It was that simple. And Roy still felt like he didn't deserve love anyway, especially not hers. To say anything about their feelings would bring their world crashing down, so they refrained and chose to ignore the spark that had ignited between them.

Roy stood outside the wedding hall adjusting his cufflinks as he waited with the bridesmaids and other groomsmen for the wedding to begin. Maes was already waiting inside at the front of the hall with the officiate and Roy caught a glimpse of his friend every time a guest arrived and opened the doors to get to their seats. The man couldn't stop shifting from foot to foot. He looked nervous and excited at the same time and Roy smirked, laughing to himself every time he looked at Hughes.

It was just a few minutes until the wedding was to begin when suddenly Roy couldn't help himself from taking a sharp breath and holding it when he saw Hawkeye walk passed and into the wedding hall to take her seat. She wore a high necked dark blue dress with cap sleeves and an a-line skirt that flared from her waist to just below her knees. She was stunning and Mustang found himself having a hard time keeping his eyes from following her. This was going to be a long day. He could already tell it was going to be difficult for him to not openly stare at her the entire time.

The wedding ceremony went off without a hitch, which was surprising with both Roy and Hughes in the same location. No mischief was had since Hughes could not take his eyes off Gracia long enough to notice anything else going on. It was just as well, Roy couldn't stop glancing over at Riza every few seconds either, even with the beautiful maid of honor, Gracia's cousin, on his arm as he escorted her down the aisle to and from the hall.

A delicious dinner was served at the reception hall, which was conveniently located at the other end of the building where the wedding had been held. As part of the wedding party, Roy sat at the head table sandwiched between Gracia and one of the bridesmaids. Riza kept glancing up at Roy every so often from her seat at the table across from the wedding party's, noticing how dashing he looked in his tuxedo, all charming grins and suave movements as he made idle chatter with Gracia and the bridesmaid next to him, who appeared to push for his attention whenever he focused on talking to Gracia or eating his dinner.

He didn't seem to mind and Riza frowned to herself as she slowly ate her food, feeling an odd sense of annoyance at his seemingly shameless flirting and actually having someone to talk to. Riza didn't really know anyone at her table and only smiled politely when someone briefly spoke to her. She was just bored and would have enjoyed having a conversation with someone. That's all it was. She was certainly not jealous that he was enjoying himself while talking to some woman who wouldn't stop giving him doe eyes and trying to brush against him at every opportunity.

Unbeknownst to Hawkeye, Mustang was only tolerating the woman because it was the most effective way to make sure he kept his gaze from straying to Riza and staying on her for too long. The bridesmaid was lovely and seemed like a nice girl, but her topics of discussion were dull and he really couldn't have cared less. But Roy needed to keep up appearances and Madame Christmas did not raise him to be an ass, so he indulged the woman and did his best to pretend to be interested in what she was saying while trying to discreetly avoid her attempts to touch his arm or hand every few minutes.

Dinner couldn't end soon enough, and once it did, Roy immediately excused himself and went to try to find Riza, only to be ambushed by the maid of honor who reminded him that he was supposed to dance with her as soon as Gracia and Hughes had their first dance as husband and wife. Roy inwardly sighed and surrendered to his fate. It seemed like he'd never get a chance to even talk to Riza that night at the rate things were going.

Riza stood alone next to the sweets table, sipping punch and eyeing a plate of petit fours that looked ridiculously delicious. She didn't actually know how to dance and declined the couple of gentlemen who had asked her, which is why she retreated to the back of the room, hoping to avoid any others that would be so inclined to ask.

Maes and Gracia finished up their dance, looking every bit the perfect couple they were as they smiled and stared adoringly at each other. The rest of the wedding party took to the dance floor once the bride and groom's dance was over and Roy seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, dancing with the beautiful maid of honor. Riza set her cup on the table a little harder than she meant to and frowned. She really needed to stop thinking like a jealous idiot. It was very unlike her and she hated it. They weren't in any kind of relationship. It wasn't like she had any right to be so annoyed at him. He could date and flirt with whomever he damn well pleased and she should be absolutely fine with that.

But she wasn't. The thought that she wanted him all to herself came to her in a sudden rush and she grumbled, hurrying over to the open bar. She needed something stronger to drink.

When it came time for the bouquet toss, the women all crowded behind Gracia, giggling and squealing in excitement. Riza, not really interested in the event, stood further back from the other ladies, content to just watch. It was just her luck though that Gracia somehow managed to throw the bouquet a little too hard and it went flying right at Riza's face. Not wanting to be smacked in the head with a large bunch of flowers, she reached out swiftly and caught the bouquet, much to the disappointment of some of the other women. She just smiled lightly, a little embarrassed as the room broke into applause at her almost graceful catch.

When Roy saw that she had been the one to catch the bouquet, he was suddenly very determined to be the one to catch the garter, so as soon as they announced the garter toss event, he hurried to stand somewhere visible in the group of men that gathered behind Maes. Roy could have sworn Hughes winked at him before launching the garter straight for him. But Mustang catching the garter was not to be as another young man practically dove in front and snatched it before anyone else. The man beamed proudly as he was applauded. Roy all but growled in annoyance and didn't miss the look of remorse that Maes shot him. And he most definitely did not miss how Riza blushed, disappointment etched into her features. He didn't know if anyone else would have caught it, but her emotions in that moment were as clear as day to him.

As much as Riza did not want to, she agreed to go along with the tradition of having the garter put on by the man that caught it, not wanting to spoil the fun. She was not embarrassed as she sat down and extended her leg to the man kneeling before her. She didn't even know him and felt nothing for him. However, had it been _Roy_ slipping the garter up her leg, then she most likely would have had a healthy blush on her face. But instead, she was more impatient than anything as the man in front of her took his dear sweet time placing the garter on her leg, almost making a show of it and giving her what she guessed was his attempt at a handsome and charming grin. All it did was give her the urge to smack him and she had to try very hard not to roll her eyes and sigh at the idiocy of it.

Roy watched in growing displeasure as the man slowly slipped the garter up the leg he secretly admired that happened to be attached to the woman he secretly adored. He was a leg man after all and having to watch someone else get to touch the particular leg he so desperately wanted to caress, but was not allowed to, made him quite a bit more upset than he would care to admit.

This feeling grew even greater when he noticed what he knew to be her gun strapped to her thigh, the very end of the holster peeking out from under her raised skirt. He didn't know if anyone else had noticed, but he sure did and he didn't think he had ever seen anything sexier in his life. If he wasn't jealous before, he certainly was now.

The crowd giggled and cheered after the garter was finally in place on Riza's lower thigh and she hurriedly pulled her skirt back down and stood, walking off without a second glance at the man and trying not to huff in annoyance at the whole charade. Before Roy could go to her, he was surrounded by swooning ladies again and was pulled in the opposite direction.

As the night wore on, Mustang managed to talk to Hughes for a bit in between women asking him to dance. He didn't think he had ever seen his best friend happier and the bespectacled man couldn't seem to keep his hands off his new wife, constantly hugging her or kissing her without a care in the world. Roy hadn't been able to spot Riza for a couple of hours and it had him a little worried, but he couldn't seem to get away from the endless stream of ladies wanting to dance. He had a reputation to uphold and didn't want to miss the opportunity to display his playboy image in front of so many people, so he never turned anyone down no matter how much he would have rather been looking for his second lieutenant.

In the span of just a few hours, Roy had gotten the names and numbers of at least a dozen women shoved without his consent into his pockets, none of which he had any intention of ever calling. He'd most likely burn those scraps of paper later. It wasn't that he found any of women annoying, necessarily, it was just that he wasn't interested. Not in any of _them_ anyway.

The woman that did interest him happened to walk by right when he started thinking about her and Roy finally made some lame excuse to the ladies before hurrying off to follow her.

Roy caught up to Riza just as she slipped outside to get some fresh air. She breathed a deep sigh of relief, glad to be out of the crowded ballroom, when she heard her last name being called by a familiar voice and turned to the direction it came from.

"Hawkeye!" Roy called as he walked up to her. "Finally I get to talk to you. This night has been chaos!"

She smiled softly at him as he approached her. She smiled because it was Roy and he had a smile on his face as he looked at her and his smiles always made her want to smile and suddenly her jealousy and annoyance at the evening's events were all but forgotten when he stopped next to her.

"You seem to be having a good time, though." she replied quietly, turning to face the garden instead of him.

Roy barked a laugh.

"I wouldn't call being dragged around by every damn woman on the premises a good time, unless you like being practically smothered in unnecessary hugs from random strangers and bored to death by idle gossip."

Roy's smile turned rueful as he looked at her.

"What about you?" he asked, the annoyance he felt for the guy that touched her leg had returned and it showed in his tone, but he refrained from mentioning the incident, not sure how to approach the subject. "I've barely seen you tonight…"

Riza sighed and shrugged.

"It's been nice to see Maes and he seems very happy. I'm glad, but I don't particularly enjoy large parties so it's been a little stifling the last couple of hours."

Roy nodded, completely understanding. It was the same for him, but now he was finally with Riza, the one woman he had been wanting to dance with all night, so he had to ask her, even though he was tired and pretty sick of dancing.

He cleared his throat and bowed slightly, extending his hand and smiling warmly at her.

"May I have this dance, my queen?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to retreat, but instead he held his stance, pretending like he hadn't said anything strange. Riza gave him an odd look, her brow raised in question.

"What exactly does that mean, sir?"

Roy sighed and grinned at her sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"I didn't mean to say that...I mean, I meant to ask you to dance. What I mean is…"

He suddenly felt like he was fifteen again with how flustered he felt under her curious gaze.

"I didn't really want to say anything, but now that I've gone and messed up I guess I should explain… I play chess with General Grumman once a week and, uh, in the past few months I've been thinking about you and the rest of the team as chess pieces whenever I play a game with the old man. I'm the king and Fuery's the pawn and Breda's the rook and Falman's the bishop and Havoc's the knight and you're… And you're the queen."

The implications behind that were not lost on Riza and her eyes widened a fraction in surprise before she softened her gaze, looking up into Roy's dark eyes warmly, even chuckling at the silliness of the whole thing. Roy met her gaze, worried she would be creeped out by his confession, but what he saw reflected in her eyes made him realize his embarrassment about the subject was unnecessary. He could tell his feelings for her were reciprocated just by the look in her eyes. Despite wishing to conceal the way being the queen to his king made her feel, she couldn't hide those feelings from him very well. It made her too happy, so she sighed, a small smile on her lips, and shook her head, deciding to change the subject before things got too far out of hand. The look he had in his eyes as he gazed down at her would bring nothing but trouble.

"Actually, I don't know how to dance." she confessed, answering his question instead of saying anything more about his chess analogy.

Roy grinned brightly and snickered at this admission, earning a glare from her.

"That's fine." he said, sobering up a bit under her narrowed gaze. "I'll teach you as we go."

Riza gave him a skeptical look and he pouted.

"C'mon, I won't let you fall, I promise."

Roy extended his hand and and Riza relented, taking it with a sigh.

"All right, but I won't forgive you if you let me make a fool of myself."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Roy answered, tone full of mirth as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

The next couple of songs that played were upbeat and Riza actually found herself laughing with Roy as she attempted to follow his lead, only tripping a few times. He thought she was adorable, trying her best to concentrate on not stepping on his toes. Her lack of skill was evident, but neither of them cared and the rest of the crowd on the dance floor seemed to disappear as they concentrated on dancing and each other.

The evening was coming to a close and the final song that played was a slow waltz. Roy grinned warmly at Riza and took her hand gently, bringing her closer to himself and into position to slow dance. His hand rested on her back, a little lower than he should have, and he held her a little closer than necessary. She didn't argue as they began to move slowly, fingers entwining somewhere along the way. She tripped a couple of times and he bit back a laugh.

"Just stand on my feet, it'll be easier." he muttered into her ear.

She gave him a look, worried that others might take things the wrong way, but didn't argue, stepping onto his feet carefully. It was a wedding and there weren't any military personnel in attendance other than herself, Roy, and Maes. She told herself it would be fine.

Roy began moving again once she was in place, smoother than before. Without her slowing him down, Roy moved across the floor gracefully, his steps flowing and sure, as if he wasn't carrying all her weight. There was no room in their world for anyone but themselves as they gazed into each other's eyes, sweeping across the dance floor as the night came to an end.

 **000000**

At some point around midnight, after the rest of the guests had gone home or back to hotels for the night, Roy, Riza, Maes, and Gracia were the only ones left outside the wedding hall. It was a beautiful night and if the city wasn't so bright, the stars would have been clearly visible in the dark sky.

Roy turned to Maes and clasped a hand on his shoulder, grinning widely at his friend.

"So I guess you'll want to get out of here and retire for the night with your lovely new wife."

"I really do…" Hughes said, grinning back at his friend. "Gracia and I have to spend the day with family tomorrow and I know you said you wanted to do the same, so I guess this is where we say good bye, for now."

Roy found himself on the receiving end of a bear hug from Hughes, which he was quick to return. The two friends patted each other on the back before stepping back from each other. Hughes hugged Riza, going a little easier on her, and Gracia hugged Roy and Riza gently before she and Hughes bid their farewells and drove off in their car that had been covered in streamers with 'Just Married' painted over the back window. Roy and Riza waved until the car was out of sight before Roy turned to Riza, offering his arm to her.

"Shall we head back to our hotel then?"

Riza took his arm and nodded and the two wandered back to their hotel, not in any hurry to have the night be over quite yet. The day after tomorrow would find them back in Eastern and back to being superior and subordinate. They wanted to just be Riza and Roy for a little longer. Just two friends that knew they each thought of the other as more than friends, pretending that rules and goals weren't the things preventing them from admitting their feelings.

 **000000**

I think Riza might be a little OOC in this, so sorry about that, but I'm saying it's because she doesn't know how to handle her growing affections for Roy. She never had crushes or anything before so I think that new feeling might make her act a little out of the ordinary.

I also feel like every time I read a wedding fic, whether it be Hughes' or Ed's, Roy and Riza always end up catching the garter and bouquet and I wanted to be different. Plus I wanted to show how both Roy and Riza were getting jealous over little things. Sometimes fics only show one sided jealousy and I really wanted them both to be getting those feelings since they're just coming to terms with how they feel about each other. I think they'd be a little more susceptible to jealously at this point.

I actually had a lot more planned for this chapter, but I felt like it was getting a little long so look forward to some angst/emotional hurt/comfort followed by fun with Riza bonding with Madame Christmas and the girls. Thanks for reading!


	14. Meeting the Family

The wedding had been such a joyous and happy occasion, but of course it wasn't enough to keep Roy and Riza's demons away. Nothing would ever be good enough to silence the feelings they harbored about Ishval and their pasts.

They both dealt with their darkness differently. He would talk to Hughes, she would retreat to someplace where she could be alone. They never really spoke to each other about it.

That night was the first time Riza had ever witnessed Roy going through the same torment she did almost every night. A night terror, about Ishval no doubt. The way he moaned and yelled and thrashed in his sleep was all she needed to see to come to that conclusion.

Riza had been deep in a dreamless sleep when she was startled awake by the sound of a shout. She immediately recognized it as Roy's voice and jumped out of bed, grabbing her gun from out of the bedside table drawer. She moved quietly and quickly across her room on bare feet, flicking on the light and then bursting into Roy's room through the unlocked door, gun aimed and steady in front of her.

The light from her room shined over Roy's bed and she soon discovered that there was no intruder. Roy was still in bed, tossing and turning and mumbling, obviously still asleep. From some of the words she could pick out from his sleep raving, she knew what was going on and turned off the light in her room before it woke him.

She sighed to herself, a look of sad understanding passing over her features as she silently went to sit on a chair near his bed, placing her gun on the table next to her. Worried that waking him now would only cause him to lash out and possibly hurt her or himself, she just sat and waited, willing her presence to be some kind of comfort to him.

Mustang managed to calm down after a while and he slept the rest of the night without suffering any other terrible dreams.

In the morning, Roy groggily opened his eyes with a tired grumble, yawning and slowly rising to a sitting position on his bed, eyes panning over to find Hawkeye asleep in an arm chair nearby. He creased his brow in confusion once his brain registered what he was looking at. Why was she sleeping in a chair? What was she doing in his room? He suddenly had quite a few questions he needed to ask his second lieutenant when she woke up.

Riza seemed to be sleeping well and Roy didn't want to wake her while she looked so peaceful, so he got out of bed and moved as quietly as he could to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for the day. He'd interrogate her about her intrusion later.

That conversation would come sooner than expected when he came out of the bathroom to find Riza slowly waking, rubbing her eyes and making soft, sleepy noises. He found the sight to be far too adorable for his own good.

He cleared his throat to get her attention and plastered a cheeky grin on his face, crossing his arms as he waited for her to fully wake up.

"Got too lonely without me, eh?" he said, mocking her playfully.

Riza glared up at him.

"You woke me up last night…" she said flatly.

It took a minute, but Roy soon understood what she meant. His look became serious and he dropped his arms back to his sides, looking away from her.

"Ah…" he muttered, his tone melancholy. "Sorry…"

Riza stood and shrugged.

"It happens."

Roy looked back at her sadly.

"You too?"

"...Yes."

This was not the way he wanted to start the day. But, their emotional trauma was always there. It wasn't like it would magically disappear if they ignored it. In fact, it was a wonder they had been able to avoid talking about it this long. He knew the subject would come up eventually, he just hoped he could have spared her for a little longer. It was why he went to Hughes with his issues. His best friend could handle talking about their problems over the phone, or over a few drinks when they were able to see each other in person. Roy felt like he had hurt Riza far too much to bother her with his personal troubles. She had enough of her own problems, he didn't want to push his own issues onto her too.

Instead, here they were, both admitting to having night terrors and mental stress about Ishval. He wanted to take it all away from her, even though he knew that was a stupid and impossible idea. It was all his fault that she ended up like this. What could he possibly do or say that would make things any better?

Nothing. He knew the answer to that was absolutely fucking nothing. Why did it seem like he was always so useless, especially when it came to protecting her?

"I'm going to get dressed." Riza said quietly and went back to her room, leaving him staring after her.

He didn't know if he was relieved or disappointed that she had evaded talking about things. Maybe it was for the best for now. Maybe she didn't like discussing such personal problems. She had always been reserved with her emotions.

He decided to let it go. If keeping things to herself was her way of coping, then he'd give her all the space she needed. She deserved that much.

Ten minutes later, he knocked on the door separating their rooms, remembering that he hadn't yet told her what he had planned for the day. Madame Christmas was expecting him in a couple of hours. He wanted to visit her and introduce Riza to everyone. They had already met his best friend, Maes, but he hadn't ever gotten the opportunity to bring Riza to his family's bar. He knew they would love her and he was excited to introduce her as his second in command and other best friend. Of course, he would have preferred to introduce her as the girl he was interested in, but that was impossible. At least he still had her support and friendship. He wouldn't give that up for the world.

After hearing her affirmation that it was okay for him to enter, he walked in to see her dressed and just finishing up lacing her boots. It was nice not having to wear their uniforms all the time. Riza looked good in civilian clothes. She seemed comfortable and relaxed and it was a nice change from the strict demeanor she put on at work.

Riza finished lacing her boots and looked up at Mustang. He realized he hadn't said anything yet, having been too busy admiring her.

"I wanted to visit my family today." he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I mentioned you to them a few times and they've really been wanting to meet you."

Riza cocked her eyebrow.

"You mentioned me to your family?"

"Yeah, I told them I managed to find myself an excellent adjutant and bodyguard." he said quickly, realizing that he made it sound weird. "They showed a lot of interest in meeting the person I consider my most trusted and important subordinate."

Riza scoffed and stood from her seat on the bed, moving to grab her gun and holster off the dresser. She went to strap it to her thigh and began raising her skirt, but stopped midway when she noticed Roy hadn't turned around, not even after he figured out what she was doing. He appeared to be frozen, his eyes glued onto her leg, and she glared at him. The force of her stare made Roy look back at her face and he took a sharp breath, realizing he'd been caught staring, though it had been honestly unintentional. He uttered a hasty apology and turned around to give her privacy while she fixed her holster to her thigh.

"All right then, so when do we need to be there?" Riza asked, standing straight again and crossing her arms after smoothing her skirt back down.

Roy turned around after she spoke, guessing she was finished with her holster.

"Not for an hour or so." he replied, eyes going to her leg where he knew her gun was strapped and was impressed that he wasn't able to see any sign of it. He'd never understand how she was able to conceal her weapons on her person so well. He knew she carried at least four at all times and he wondered where the others were located. "We have time to grab some brunch if you're hungry."

Riza glanced at the clock to find it was already almost eleven hundred. She hadn't slept passed five AM in a while and it threw her off for a minute. They had stayed up a bit after midnight after the wedding though, so it was understandable that they would end up waking a little later than normal.

"Brunch sounds good." she said, picking up her bag and throwing the strap over her shoulder, waiting for Roy to lead the way.

He grinned and nodded, grabbing his coat from his room before heading out the door, Riza close behind.

 **000000**

After eating, Mustang and Hawkeye arrived at Madame Christmas'. The bar was closed for a few more hours, so there would be no one there to interrupt their family gathering.

Riza was a little apprehensive, but didn't let it show, not knowing what to expect. She followed Roy into the bar, two steps behind like she usually did when they were working, and was surprised when a group of beautiful girls swarmed around him almost immediately, some hugging him, others just standing back with huge smiles on their faces. They all clearly knew him and apparently adored him. Riza wasn't sure if she could keep the surprise from her expression, but she did and looked on as if the display was something she actually expected, though that was far from the case.

"Hey everyone!" Roy said happily, grinning like crazy. It had been a while since he last got to spend time with the girls and his aunt. "I brought someone I'd like you to meet."

Everyone focused on Riza now and she felt a little awkward under their scrutinizing gazes.

"This is my second lieutenant, personal adjutant, trusted bodyguard, and good friend, Riza Hawkeye." Roy spoke and smiled proudly as he introduced her, affection evident in his voice. "Hawkeye, these are my sisters."

Riza nodded and smiled politely.

"Hello, it's nice to meet all of you."

Bright smiles lit up all of the girl's faces and Riza's nervousness mellowed out at the sight. They welcomed her with open arms, giggling and exclaiming about how cute she was. She wasn't used to so much affection and it almost made her uncomfortable, but it was also nice to feel so accepted so quickly.

This was where Roy had grown up. This was why he was so open with his emotions toward the people he cared about. She felt like she finally understood and was almost envious of the warm and loving childhood he must have had, despite his parents dying when he was young. Riza gradually warmed up to the girls and it wasn't long before they sat her and Roy down at a table and began prodding her with questions about the things she liked and where she grew up.

All the questions made her feel a little uncertain and Roy seemed to notice this because every once in awhile he would gently squeeze her knee or wrist reassuringly and discreetly under the table. It calmed her surprisingly well.

At some point, the conversation finally shifted to the girls and they all began talking about themselves. Every one of them had a code name they used at work and they introduced themselves to her with both their actual names and code names, insisting Riza call them by their code names since they were more like nicknames to each other anyway. This lead to a conversation about how since Riza might as well have been part of the family, she should also have a code name. She didn't know how to feel about that, but really didn't get to express her opinion on the subject before everyone began coming up with names that might suit her. They spent almost fifteen minutes throwing out names before Roy finally ended the discussion with the perfect code name.

"What about Elizabeth?" he suggested, grinning at Riza. "I personally like that one quite a bit and I think it suits her."

Everyone cheered at the name and agreed it was perfect, some of the girls jumping up to hug Riza for the umpteenth time that afternoon, and once again she began feeling a bit overwhelmed. Madame Christmas seemed to pick up on this, stepping in after a while to take her away from the crowd of girls, who were now focused on Roy, praising him for coming up with such a great name for her.

The Madame led her to the back room where it was quieter. Riza wanted to be relieved, but Chris had ulterior motives for getting her alone, which she revealed soon after closing the door behind them. She had some questions about Riza's relationship with Roy as she was the only one there who knew Roy's alchemy master's name and as soon as she heard Riza's last name, she began putting the pieces together. This why why, Chris guessed, that Riza hadn't spoken much of her childhood or how she and Roy met. Chris knew they most definitely must have met each other prior to their military careers, and the way her boy looked at Riza suggested feelings that went beyond mere friendship, so Chris wanted details.

"What's your relation to Berthold Hawkeye?" Chris asked, sitting at a small table and motioning for Riza to do the same.

Riza sat and realized the Madame was very observant and obviously smart. She remembered that Roy had mentioned a few times the kind of business she ran under the guise of a hostess bar, so there was probably no point in trying to hide things from the woman.

"He was my father." she replied, folding her hands in her lap, steadfastly meeting the Madame's eyes with her own.

Riza refused to be intimidated no matter how unnerving Chris's gaze was. There was nothing to hide about her relationship with Roy.

"I see…" the Madame said, sitting back into a more relaxed position in her chair. "So you did know Roy-boy when he was studying alchemy."

"Yes, though we didn't see each other often and rarely spoke. We were both busy with our studies."

"I find that a bit hard to believe, honestly." The Madame shot back. "Two teenagers living under the same roof…"

"My father would never have allowed it." Riza interrupted, eyes narrowing in annoyance. "He would have...He wasn't the kind of man you wanted to upset."

Chris nodded at this, sympathetic understand flashing in her eyes, before she smirked.

"I was testing you, darling." she said, her demeanor changing from 'overprotective, scary mother' to 'loving and playful aunt.' "I only want what's best for my boy. I would have also given him a piece of my mind if he had attempted anything improper with you during his apprenticeship. I didn't raise him to be a disrespectful prat guided by hormones. I won't have to punish him though, thanks to your vouching for him. Roy-boy doesn't know how lucky he is... I can see you're a respectable young lady worthy of our trust."

Riza wasn't expecting that. The Madame was interrogating her to test her merits, but mostly to find out if Roy was acting unacceptably toward women? The thought of Chris scolding Mustang and grabbing him by the ear like a child almost made her laugh.

Chris stood and extended her hand to Riza, who took it after a moment's hesitation and was brought into a tight hug soon after.

"Welcome to the family, darling. We expect to see you whenever you're in Central, you hear?"

Riza smiled lightly and nodded.

"I think I can manage that."

 **000000**

"So what did my aunt want to talk to you about?" Roy asked Riza as they walked back to their hotel later in that night.

They had spent all afternoon and most of the evening talking and playing card games with his aunt and sisters. It ended up being a good day, even with the way the morning had begun, but Roy couldn't stop wondering just what his aunt pulled Riza aside to discuss. If he was being completely honest, it worried him a little.

"Nothing much." Riza replied, smirking at him with humour sparkling in her eyes.

With that kind of expression accompanying that kind of response, it made him nervous and he knew he would be trying to figure out what they had spoken about for a long time to come, which is exactly what Riza intended.

 **000000**

Two days later, Mustang and Hawkeye were back at work. Back to the almost monotonous routine of paperwork and taking on any odd job that might earn the lieutenant colonel a promotion.

Hawkeye found it strange that Roy actually seemed to be doing his share of the work for once, but she wasn't going to say anything. If he was finally taking things a little more seriously, then that would make her job a bit easier and she certainly had no objections to that.

He showed up a few minutes late, as usual, but once he sat down, he began writing and didn't look up too often unless it was to glance at the clock or look around pondering something. At lunch time, Roy left with the others, but Riza stayed behind to finish up a few things. A few minutes after everyone else had left, she stood to pile more paperwork onto Roy's desk and a little black book lying open in the center of the desk made her pause. She really didn't mean to pry into his personal business, but her eyesight was just too good and she ended up reading a few lines out of the corner of her eye.

What she read made her glare and huff in annoyance. The man had been writing about the dates he went on recently as opposed to actually doing any kind of work. No wonder he had been so focused.

Hawkeye turned her full attention to the open pages now. In just those two pages alone she read the names of six different women, none of which belonged to any of his sisters. On top of being annoyed at Mustang for doing such frivolous things instead of work, she also felt a twinge of jealousy that she immediately tried push from her thoughts. He could date whomever he wanted, it was no concern of hers. She even almost found it comical that he'd write about such things in a diary. How conceited of him.

Before she finished reading the passages on the second page, the door to the office opened and Roy waltzed in with two trays of food. She looked up in surprise, cursing herself for not paying attention to her surroundings. He caught her red handed and she sighed, stepping away from his desk.

"Sorry sir, I didn't mean to pry into your affairs."

Roy just stared at her curiously, not knowing what she was referring to, as she went back to her desk to continue working. She seemed to be very sullen and Roy wasn't sure what had prompted such a change in mood. Her expression wasn't any different than normal, but he could tell something was off. He stepped up to her desk and deposited one of the trays of food in front of her.

"I got you lunch." he said, grinning at her in the hopes of cheering her up, then turned from her to sit at his desk to eat his own lunch, where he noticed his open black book.

He looked from the book to Hawkeye and back again several times before realization dawned on him. She was upset about what appeared to be dates with several different women detailed inside the book. He almost laughed out loud, but kept his composure, making it appear like he was clearing his throat instead.

"Hawkeye, did you happen to read what was written in this book on my desk here?" he asked casually, looking at her with an air of indifference.

Riza looked up and frowned at him, glare hardening.

"Yes sir, I apologize. I was just wondering what could have possibly kept your attention all morning. Here I thought you might actually be developing a work ethic, but apparently you're only interested in frivolities that have no place in the office."

Oh yes, she was definitely jealous, or something like that anyway. He didn't think that Hawkeye of all people could be jealous, but she _was_ unreasonably unhappy and angry with him for some reason, and she _had_ been staring down at his desk when he walked in, so the only logical conclusion he could come up with was that she had read what was written in the book and didn't like what she saw. Roy had to fight back a smile again. She was awfully cute when she was mad.

"Hawkeye, come here for a moment." he said, beckoning her with a motion of his hand.

Riza glared at him for a few more moments, before standing and walking stiffly over to Roy. She stopped in front of his desk and stared back at him impatiently.

"What did you need, sir? I'm actually busy and I'd like to get my work done so I can go home on time today."

Roy smirked at her and lifted the book, passing it to her. She frowned at him, eyes narrowing.

"Read what's written on these pages." Roy said.

"I've already read what's there, sir."

"Then read it again."

With an aggravated sigh, Hawkeye took the book and read the entries, jealousy flaring up in the pit of her stomach again. Fighting off the unwanted feeling, she scoffed at him.

"I don't see how your dates are of any importance to me or your work, sir." she said tonelessly.

If Roy's smirk grew any wider, Riza was sure it would have split his face right in two.

"Read the names that are written." he said, trying to keep his voice even, but a hint of humor crept it's way into his tone.

Riza was not amused.

"Brianna, Rose, Olive, Nancy, Zoey, Eleanor." she read aloud before slamming the book shut and dropping it back onto the desk. "Anything else, sir?"

Roy couldn't keep his laughter in check anymore and he chuckled at her reaction.

"I don't see what's so funny." she snapped, moving her hands to her hips.

Roy answered her in a quiet voice, speaking so only she would hear on the off chance someone was listening at the door.

"Read the first letters of each name." he said, leaning closer to her, his smirk turning into a soft smile. "But not out loud."

Riza narrowed her eyes, confusion evident in her expression, but she did as she was asked. It took her a minute, but she became even more confused when she realized the letters spelled something.

"Bronze? Why does it spell 'bronze'?"

Roy continued to smile at her softly.

"They're my alchemy notes, Hawkeye." he said, voice still quiet.

Riza's eyes widened at his admission. No one other than the alchemist himself was supposed to know the secrets of his own alchemy code. But he felt like it was okay to tell her such a thing? She didn't know if she should be honored or scold him for telling her something so important so casually.

"Why would you tell me that? Isn't an alchemist's code supposed to be a well guarded secret?"

"The code on your back was supposed to be a secret too, but you told me about that. Is it so wrong for me to want to return the favor?"

Riza inhaled sharply at that, but said nothing, knowing he wasn't finished speaking.

"Besides, you seemed upset about this." he gestured to the little black book before continuing. "What I've been working on this morning is a circle to create bronze flowers. Back before I joined the military, I transmuted copper flowers for my aunt and sisters, but while we were visiting them the other day, I found out Vanessa broke hers and she was pretty upset about it. I decided to try making a new array that would allow me to create flowers out of a stronger metal so they would have less chance of breaking this time."

Riza didn't know how to respond, but Roy kept talking, eliminating the need for her to say anything yet.

"Speaking of which, my alchemy code initially started out being the names of my sisters, but branched out to be women's names in general, and eventually became logs of supposed dates I've gone on. The women I've been 'dating' actually work for a branch of my aunt's business out here in East City. My aunt has connections in each major city in fact. The girls I'm seen with are all informants."

Hawkeye suddenly felt absolutely foolish for reacting so harshly and no one but Roy would have caught the way her shoulders and overall demeanor relaxed at hearing this information. She was almost embarrassed when she realized he was telling her all this because he knew she had been jealous. She glowered at him and crossed her arms, refusing to admit she really had been jealous.

"No matter how sweet of a gesture that is, sir, you still shouldn't be working on alchemy at work."

Roy pouted at her, dismayed that she wouldn't let him off the hook even though she now knew he wasn't being frivolous and going on actual dates. He thought that knowledge would cheer her up for sure.

"And I still don't understand why you would confide something so important to me." she added, walking back to her own desk.

"Because I trust you." Roy sighed, expression serious as he stared after her. "I know you won't go around telling people about it. Plus, who knows, maybe there will come a time when we'll need a code to communicate or something. This will give us a way of talking that only the two of us will ever know."

This made Riza's lips twitch up into a smile that was barely visible unless you were looking at her closely.

"Yes, I suppose that could be convenient." she said quietly, sitting to eat her lunch while returning to her work.

The rest of the team entered the office after lunch to find the atmosphere to be a little more peaceful than usual. Mustang was actually doing his paperwork for once and Hawkeye's expression was a little softer than normal.

 **000000**

Roy managed to go home on time that night. He checked his mail box before heading up to his apartment and found a solitary envelope with 'Photos: Do Not Bend' stamped across the front. The return address was Maes Hughes, and Roy chuckled. His friend was pretty quick to send out wedding photos.

Holding the envelope to his chest, he took the stairs to his third floor apartment and flopped onto his couch as soon as he stepped inside and locked the door, opening the package carefully and pulling out the stack of photos.

Most were of Hughes and Gracia, but there were a few strewn about of the entire wedding party and Roy dancing with a few different ladies. He got two thirds of the way through the stack of photos when a piece of paper fell out and onto his lap. Picking up the paper, he discovered that it was a note from his best friend.

 _Roy,_

 _Isn't she lovely?_

 _-Maes_

Roy rolled his eyes, assuming Hughes was talking about Gracia, but the next photo was not of his his friend's new wife, but of the woman Roy cherished above all others.

Riza Hawkeye looked beautiful in her simple dress. Whoever took the photo managed to catch her unguarded. She probably hadn't even realized her photo was being taken. She was staring off at something wistfully and Roy couldn't keep from smiling as he looked at her picture. The next couple of photos were similar, but the last few photos in the stack made his heart swell and his smile grow brighter.

The photos were of himself and Hawkeye dancing, the very last one was taken during the final waltz of the evening when Riza stood on his feet. With the way they were looking at each other, it was no wonder that Hughes had realized Roy harbored feelings for Riza. Roy would definitely have to frame a few of those pictures to keep around the house.

He mentally reminded himself to thank Hughes the next time he called.

 **000000**

Wow this chapter was long. I just couldn't stop writing. There were three specific scenes I wanted to include in this, but they ended up being much longer than I anticipated. I hope you enjoyed this though. I wanted something to explain how Hawkeye found out about Roy's code and I also wanted to explore an idea of how Riza's code name came to be. I kind of like how it turned out.

Next chapter is going to be a Briggs adventure! I'm excited about it so look forward to that.


	15. A Briggs Adventure

Icy winds, mountains of snow, deadly wildlife, a harsh and unforgiving landscape. These were the things used to describe the frozen Northern military fortress, Briggs. And within those walls resided the Ice Queen, Brigadier General Olivier Mira Armstrong, the Northern Wall of Briggs, who was just as beautiful, harsh, and unforgiving as the land she ruled.

Joint training was to be held at Briggs that year with the Northern and Eastern army coming together to try to survive a weekend out in the snow covered mountainsides, the event being presided over by General Armstrong and General Grumman. Only the best from each command center were going to participate in the survival exercise, including Havoc, Hawkeye, and Mustang. The rest would remain at Briggs command for routine training exercises.

Those participating in survival training were split into teams of three to six people. Smaller groups for the more experienced soldiers, like Hawkeye and Mustang, and larger groups for the inexperienced that were potentially more likely to be lost or injured. Havoc fell more into the latter category, but with combat vets like Hawkeye and Mustang on his team, he didn't need to be placed in a larger group, so the three comrades would be on their own for the three days that the training would span.

"Did you see that Brigadier General?" Havoc said, whistling sharply while lighting a cigarette. "What a fox. But with that cutthroat personality, she's definitely not my type. What a shame."

Mustang smirked and Riza rolled her eyes. It was their first day at Briggs and Havoc was already scoping out the Northern ladies for possible dates.

"You're right Havoc." Roy said, chuckling. "What a shame, indeed."

"Then it's good we're not here to find dates, isn't it?" Riza scoffed at her companions. "How about we focus on the survival training we'll be dealing with starting tomorrow? I don't want to run into trouble because you two couldn't stop daydreaming about North City women."

"Well said, Hawkeye." Roy replied, sending her a look that was obviously meant to try to get back on her good side. "Let's come up with a plan of action so we can be prepared for tomorrow morning."

Riza shook her head and sighed. Having to put up with Mustang and Havoc's antics was going to make for a very long weekend.

 **000000**

The bitter chill of the Northern winds bit at any exposed skin as the soldiers filed out of Briggs the next morning. Mustang, Hawkeye, and Havoc turned from the others and headed East toward the mountainside they'd be hiking to and from for the next three days.

At some point a little after Noon, Havoc began complaining about being cold and hungry and they were forced to stop so Hawkeye could pull three thermoses of soup from her pack to pass around for lunch. It had only been four hours since starting this trip and her companions were already complaining? Yes, this was going to be a long trip indeed.

"Thanks, Hawkeye." Havoc said, sipping his soup gratefully. "I don't know what we'd do without you."

"You'd probably get yourselves killed." she deadpanned, sipping her own soup.

Mustang chuckled and sent her an appreciative grin, gripping his thermos in his gloved hands, holding it close to his face so the hot steam warmed his chilled nose and cheeks. He said nothing as they ate quickly and moved on.

The previous day, they were all told a massive blizzard would be approaching the area and that they should be extra cautious in case of such an event. As predicted, a blizzard did in fact materialize, storm clouds creeping in and blotting out the sun as the day wore on. Thanks to Riza, there were prepared for such an event and she marked their trail so they would be able to follow it back should they become lost as they continued the trek to their designated camp site through forceful winds while being pelted with freezing snow and sleet.

"This is crazy!" Havoc shouted, but no one could hear him over the howling wind.

After what seemed like several hours of hiking through the storm and not coming upon their destination, they concluded that they were lost and Mustang ordered them to find a place to camp to wait out the blizzard before they froze to death. In a much appreciated turn of luck, they soon discovered a cave, and once Havoc and Hawkeye inspected it to ensure there was nothing dangerous residing inside, they settled in, Mustang starting a campfire using sticks, leaves, stones, and other bits of things they found strewn about the cave, and lighting them with a snap.

They took off their coats, unwrapped their sleeping bags, and curled up around the campfire trying to keep warm. The cave blocked most of the wind, the campfire remained steady all night, and their first day of survival training in the North decidedly went fairly well, ending on a more positive note despite them veering off course. At least no one had been injured.

Riza rose early the next morning to the sound of Havoc snoring and was impressed that Roy seemed to be sleeping through the noise that echoed throughout the cave. She boiled water for coffee, letting Mustang and Havoc sleep a little longer so they'd be well rested for the potentially dangerous journey back to their main trail.

Mustang was the next to wake a while later, smelling the coffee. He smiled gratefully at Hawkeye when she handed him his thermos full of the hot beverage. He snickered at Havoc and shook his head.

"He snores like a train." Mustang said playfully. "I can't believe I slept through that."

"Nether can I." Hawkeye replied, a light smile tugging at her lips.

"Should we wake him up so we can get going?"

"Hm, I think we can let him sleep for a few more minutes."

Mustang grinned.

"You're being awfully lenient this morning."

Hawkeye huffed a laugh, barely audible over Havoc's snoring, her smile growing a bit wider.

"Only because his snoring is more tolerable than his endless complaints about women not appreciating him enough."

Mustang heard the sarcasm and mirth in her tone and chuckled.

"I might have to agree with you on that."

They shared a humorous look, but it was full of more affection than was normal for a superior and his mere subordinate. They were so immersed in each other that they didn't notice Havoc had woken up and was eyeing them from his sleeping bag, not wanting to interrupt whatever he was witnessing. The way they looked at each other was very interesting and Havoc pretended not to notice when he sat up after a few moments of watching, making a big deal out of yawning to get their attention. Mustang and Hawkeye broke out of their unusual staring contest and focused on Havoc.

Hawkeye handed Havoc his thermos full of coffee.

"Thanks!" Havoc beamed, grabbing the thermos and drinking greedily. "I never thought I'd be so happy to have crappy instant coffee. Not that you make crappy coffee, Hawkeye! I just mean...Ya know, this isn't exactly the place for anything gourmet and it's cold so I'm happy to have anything warm…"

He decided to stop talking and focus on drinking his coffee before he made things worse for himself.

"I understand." Hawkeye replied gently, twisting the cap onto her own thermos before starting to repack her backpack. "You're welcome."

Before long, all three of them were packed and ready to set off back out onto the frozen mountainside to attempt to try to find the marker trail Riza left. Unfortunately, their run of luck this trip looked like it was beginning to wear off. The blizzard seemed to have covered or destroyed the markers because after a few hours of searching, they still had not spotted a single one. Had they really gone that far off their original trail?

Mustang had them press on, trying to remain hopeful, assuring them they'd find the markers soon, but he could tell Hawkeye was beginning to worry that she had failed the team.

Just as Mustang assumed, Hawkeye was definitely beginning to worry and was blaming herself for them being lost. The trees and rocks they passed all seemed familiar, but there was no sign of any of the markers she had been placing the night before, so they might have just been going in circles trying to find their trail. Eventually they agreed to just head in one direction and hope they found either a marker or their original trail, instead of focusing on just finding the markers.

A sound from the trees behind them caught Hawkeye's attention and she turned in time to see a large bear lumber out of the trees straight for Havoc. They must have passed too close to a den because the bear looked fiercely angry.

"Havoc! Behind you!" Hawkeye yelled, reaching for her gun.

Havoc managed to swivel and grab his gun first, but it jammed as he went to take a shot. He cursed and leapt out of the way as the bear took a swipe at him. Hawkeye rushed forward and shot at the ground near the bear's feet in an attempt to scare it off, but it did the opposite of what she intended and the bear went for her, catching her shoulder with its claws as she moved to get out of the way of its attack. She fell and her gun was flung from her grip, landing a few feet away. Havoc saw that she was now unarmed and began jumping up and down and yelling, trying to get the bear's attention, but the large animal didn't even glance his way.

Trying to get to her feet and grab her gun, she managed to dodge another attack aimed at her, but before she could get to her gun, flames shot out from behind her and the bear roared and backed up. Mustang snapped again and the flames danced even closer to the bear this time, forcing it to turn and make a hasty retreat back to its den, lest it be burnt alive for harming Roy's subordinates.

Havoc breathed a huge sigh of relief and picked up his pack. Riza reholstered her gun and hefted her own pack onto her back. She flinched when the strap hit her right shoulder, but no one else caught it and she made an effort to hide the fact that her arm had been scratched. It was a minor wound and didn't need immediate attention. She didn't want to waste any more time in getting back to their trail. Addressing her injury was the least of her worries.

"Are you both alright?" Mustang asked as they regrouped.

Havoc and Hawkeye both nodded.

"Yeah, let's get the hell out of here." Havoc said and the three of them continued on their quest to find their lost path back to Briggs.

It was over an hour before Mustang noticed Hawkeye was a bit slower than she had been that weekend and seemed to be acting weird. Like she was trying to hide something. He slowed down so that she was only a couple of steps behind before he spoke, turning his head slightly to look at her.

"You sure you're okay, Lieutenant?" he muttered so only Hawkeye could hear.

Hawkeye looked up at Mustang and nodded.

"Yes, sir." she replied, no hint of anything amiss in her look or tone.

Mustang took one last good look at her before nodding and turning to face forward again.

His expression became lined with worry once he turned away. He saw blood on Hawkeye's shoulder and it concerned him immensely, but if she insisted there was nothing wrong, then he wouldn't push the subject. She must have wanted to get to a safe place before dealing with anything and he would respect that and abide by her wish to ignore whatever injury she obviously sustained.

 **000000**

"Sir!" Hawkeye exclaimed and Roy turned to find her pointing out a long beige stick peeking out of the snow with a bright red ribbon tied to it. "It's one of my markers. We must be close to the main path."

Mustang grinned and nodded at her.

"Excellent eye, Hawkeye."

Another hour had gone by before they finally stumbled upon Riza's marker. The marker meant they were very close to the path that would lead them back to Briggs. All three of them relaxed and breathed easier knowing they might actually make it back to the fortress on time the next day.

"Let's make camp here." Mustang said, dropping his backpack onto the ground at his side.

Hawkeye shot him a look.

"But sir, shouldn't we keep moving until we get back on our original course? We still have a few hours of light left."

Mustang sighed and grimaced almost comically.

"But Lieutenant," he whined, pouting at Hawkeye. "It's cold and I'm tired. We've found one of the markers. We'll definitely make it back on time. Let's just take a break for the rest of the day and get up early to finish trekking back to the main trail."

They stared at each other, Riza glaring and Roy not backing down. Finally Hawkeye sighed, realizing it was pointless to argue. He was set on setting up camp right then and there and no one would be able to change his mind. And Riza thought _she_ was stubborn.

"Sounds good to me, Chief." Havoc chimed in, dropping his pack and unstrapping the tent he had been in charge of carrying for himself and Roy to sleep in.

Riza carried her own tent and slowly and carefully removed her pack from her back, trying to make it appear that she was just being cautious of crushing anything should she drop her bag on the ground too harshly. Roy could see through it.

"All right Havoc, you set up our tent. I'll make a fire pit and get a fire going."

"I gotta set this thing up alone?" Havoc complained. "Don't you think that's a little cruel?"

"Hawkeye's not complaining." Mustang pointed out.

Havoc grumbled and didn't say anything more as he got to work.

Despite the pain in her shoulder from the wound every so often, Hawkeye was still able to set up her tent faster than Havoc and made the excuse of wanting to unpack a few things before going into her tent to address her injury, zipping the flap behind her.

Roy finished up with the fire pit and turned to Havoc once the blond man was finally finished setting up their tent.

"Go find us some firewood, Havoc." Mustang ordered and Havoc grumbled again, but did as he was asked, however begrudgingly.

This gave Roy the opportunity to help Riza and as soon as Havoc was out of sight, he went straight for her tent and didn't bother saying anything before letting himself in.

Hawkeye froze as soon as Mustang entered her tent, sitting with her right side facing him. She had removed her coat and layers of shirts and was clad in only her black sports bra and snow pants while she attempted to dress her wound. She was obviously having a hard time as she had been in there for over fifteen minutes and the injury was only partially taken care of. The wound was too far out of her line of sight, the scratch reaching from the top of her shoulder near her neck and over onto her back a bit, for her to be able to see it properly in order to bandage it. It wasn't too deep, but it was deep enough that it bled quite a bit and probably was causing her a lot of pain.

"I knew you got hurt." Mustang said, staring at her shoulder warily.

He stepped up to her side and crouched down next to her.

"Here, let me help." he added, gently, taking the bandages from her hands.

Hawkeye sighed and turned away from him.

"It's nothing. I don't want to be a hindrance to this mission."

"It's not like we have to complete this perfectly, you know." Mustang scolded lightly as he began to bandage up the scratch. "We don't need to be right on time. If we return late, it's not the end of the world."

Hawkeye turned back to him and looked at him curiously, trying to ignore how nice his warm and gentle hands felt against the chilled skin on her shoulder.

"But sir, we need to make an impression." she argued, voice quiet but firm. "If we do well, it will improve your reputation as a strong leader and you'll be that much closer to a promotion."

Mustang smiled ruefully.

"A promotion can wait a little longer if it means I can keep my precious subordinates safe."

Hawkeye's expression turned soft as she watched him fix her wound. He was focused on the task and his eyes did not wander despite her state of undress. He had always been such a gentlemen in these sorts of situations and it was comforting to be in his presence no matter the circumstances. His aunt certainly raised him right.

But then, just as he finished bandaging her injury, she caught his eyes dart to the opposite side of her back, a look of pain overtaking his features, and she knew he was looking at the burn scars just under her left shoulder. Before she could say anything, his hand slowly left her right shoulder and traced along her back to the parts of her scars that were peeking out from under her bra, the ones he inflicted upon her almost a year ago. It almost seemed like an involuntary action. Like he couldn't keep himself from touching her scars, as if he could erase what he did if he caressed them gently enough. Hawkeye didn't know if her shivering was caused by the cold or the feel of his hands as they glided along her back.

"Does it hurt?" he asked suddenly, voice quiet and full of remorse and concern.

Hawkeye shook her head.

"It scarred well…" he muttered, not looking up from her back. "I was worried it would have affected you more… That I... defiled you…" He chuckled humorlessly. "But I did, didn't I? Your back…"

His voice broke and Hawkeye silenced him, placing her hand on the side of his face, pushing with enough force to get him to look at her instead of her back.

"I'm fine." she said firmly, wanting to end this discussion.

It would be no good if they were talking about it when Havoc got back. She didn't want to have to explain why they were alone in her tent, why they were talking about her back, why Mustang was saying he had ruined her. Expressing their self hatred when in each other's presence was one thing, but to let anyone else know of their dark past and the demons that haunted them? It was unthinkable and the repercussions of which she did not want to have to deal with. She knew he agreed, so she had to stop his downward spiral of self hatred right there. They needed to finish the training exercise without any more problems.

Mustang got the hint and sobered up, sitting straighter and taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I'll let you get dressed." he said, seeming to be back under control. "You must be freezing."

He stood and moved to leave her tent.

"Thank you." Hawkeye said quietly and Mustang paused for a moment before stepping back outside.

 **000000**

Mustang couldn't get to sleep that night. He was too worried about Hawkeye.

Havoc was snoring in a sleeping bag on the other side of the tent, bundled in heaps of blankets. Roy thought for a moment before turning to face the direction Havoc slept.

"Hey, Havoc."

A drowsy mumble was the only response he got so he went on.

"Can I borrow some of your blankets? I'm cold."

"No way." Havoc responded, sounding like he was half asleep. "I've got cousins who live out here and they warned me about how cold it gets at night. I'm not sharing. You shoulda brought warmer blankets, stupid."

Mustang frowned at Havoc's blatant insubordination, calling him stupid, but he wasn't all that insulted. He grumbled and rolled out of his sleeping bag. If one subordinate wouldn't help him, maybe the other would. He left the tent as quietly as he could so he wouldn't disturb Havoc and walked to the other side of the campfire to Hawkeye's tent.

"Hawkeye. You awake?" he whispered, hoping she would hear him.

She wasn't asleep and she heard him, of course. Her hearing was almost as amazing as her eyesight.

"Yes sir." she whispered back.

"May I come in?"

"Is something wrong?" Hawkeye's tone now had an edge of concern to it.

"No! No...I uh, I'm cold and Havoc won't share his blankets with me. I was wondering if you had any extra?" he asked, poking his head into her tent.

Hawkeye sighed, but the corners of her lips twitched upward briefly. He was so ridiculous sometimes.

"No, I'm sorry…" she replied.

Hawkeye had a feeling he was lying. He was probably just worried about her and was making stupid excuses, but it was a little endearing.

"But…" she continued before he could say anything else. "I'd be willing to share with you if you stayed here. I can't let you freeze to death."

Mustang chuckled and entered the tent fully.

"Really?" he asked, eyeing her to see if she would change her mind.

She met his gaze and nodded, unzipping the sleeping bag and laying it out flat then scooting over to give him room. He grinned and joined her, covering them both with the blankets. She turned to lay with her back facing him and looked at him over her shoulder.

"Better?" she asked.

He looked thoughtful for a moment before he scooted closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing his face into the back of her neck.

"Much better."

She didn't seem to mind his sudden intrusion into her personal space. In fact, she soon relaxed into his embrace, feeling warmer and more comfortable than she had in a long time.

"I'm sorry." Mustang muttered into her neck after a while. "You got hurt because I didn't pull my gloves out fast enough. If I had been more prepared..."

Hawkeye hushed him.

"Don't be an idiot, sir." she reprimanded quietly.

He huffed. What was it with his subordinates calling him names today?

He didn't say anything more and relaxed into the warmth of the blankets and the softness of her body pressed against his.

Mustang felt like he shouldn't have been enjoying their close proximity so much. A monster like him shouldn't be allowed such happiness, but he couldn't help himself. It felt too good to be holding her so close and he wanted indulge himself just this once, consequences be damned.

Roy pressed his lips to her back under her left shoulder, and if Riza felt it, she didn't move to stop him.

 **000000**

The hike back to Briggs took them nearly the entire next day. If Havoc noticed or had any thoughts about Hawkeye and Mustang coming out of the same tent that morning, he never said anything, making Roy once again wonder what he did to deserve such loyal and trustworthy subordinates.

They managed to arrive back at Briggs late in the afternoon, only an hour after they were expected. They were forced to report that they had gotten lost due to the blizzard and it took them longer than was expected to finish the trip. This cost them a penalty to their performance record for training, but Mustang waved it off an unimportant. He was just happy they made it back in one piece.

Hawkeye and Havoc stood out among all the Eastern soldiers during the marksman training wrap up that evening and General Armstrong was impressed with their skill. She happened to pass Hawkeye in the hall on the way to the mess hall and stopped to address her.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, was it?" Armstrong asked and Riza stopped and saluted.

"Yes."

"At ease. I'm glad I ran into you. I have something I'd like to speak to you about if you have time."

Hawkeye was curious but nodded.

Mustang had been walking by at the time as well and heard Olivier address Hawkeye, becoming very curious. He paused around the corner and listened in to the conversation, wondering what the General wanted with his lieutenant.

"Of course, what did you need?" Riza asked.

"How would you feel about joining the soldiers here at Briggs?" Olivier offered. "You could do so much better for yourself if you weren't following that upstart Mustang. It seems like he's holding you back from what could be an excellent military career for you. You'd get a promotion, more pay, and more respect."

Mustang scowled at this. While it was true, it wasn't something he wanted to hear.

Hawkeye was surprised to hear such an offer, but she declined immediately. The only reason she was in the military was to protect Mustang. Until the day he achieved his goal, she would follow him and protect him no matter what.

"Thank you, General, but I have to decline."

Olivier seemed a little surprised by this, but must have been expecting such an answer.

"Somehow, I had a feeling you would say that. Well, lieutenant, if you ever change your mind, the offer still stands."

With that, General Armstrong continued on her way to the mess hall to join her men and the men of East City for dinner.

Roy sighed in relief at hearing Riza decline and rounded the corner to confront her.

"Why would you not accept that kind of position?" Mustang asked, surprising Hawkeye who turned quickly and saluted. He waved her off and continued. "You'd get more respect, better pay, and you wouldn't have to put up with me."

"Because, sir, none of that matters. My loyalty is to you." she replied, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Into Hell, remember?"

Mustang grinned and chuckled.

"Of course. How could I forget?"

 **000000**

After dinner, Grumman was found speaking with Armstrong. Grumman bragged about his soldiers while Olivier clearly thought her men were far superior, saying the only ones from East with much merit were Hawkeye and Havoc. Hawkeye would have argued that statement not only because everyone had merits in their own way, but also because her best friend Rebecca, with sharpshooting skills good enough to garner much praise, hadn't been able to attend, being stuck at home with the flu that week.

"This is Lieutenant Colonel Roy Mustang." Grumman said as Mustang, Hawkeye, and Havoc approached the two generals. "And his subordinates, Second Lieutenants Riza Hawkeye and Jean Havoc."

"Ah, General Armstrong. Pleased to meet you." Mustang said, putting on his most charming smirk and saluting briefly. "For such a lovely woman, your ruthless ideals don't quite fit with your outward appearance."

Olivier scoffed.

"I refuse to acknowledge such a young, aloof fool." she said. "I was informed of your becoming lost and having to rely on your second lieutenants to get back on track. I can't believe you have such capable people following you when you yourself are so naive."

Mustang smirked at her and shrugged.

"Yes, it is quite the mystery." he chuckled, unphased by her icy stare and attempts to goad him. "I often wonder that myself."

"Hmph." Olivier huffed, turning from him. "You may have risen up in the ranks quickly so far, but you won't get much further with your kind of weak and worthless mentality."

Mustang only grinned as she walked off.

"I think that went well." he said, turning to Grumman, Hawkeye, and Havoc. "Now let's go home. I'm sick of this place."

 **000000**

Wow this ended up longer than I expected… I was also going to have more Olivier interactions, but it turns out that even though I adore Olivier, she is extremely hard to write for. Yikes.

I think next chapter will finally be the part where they recruit Ed! So see you then and thanks for reading.


	16. Recruiting the Elrics

The train pulled into the Resembool station in the early afternoon on a bright and beautiful sunny day. Hawkeye and Mustang were the only passengers to disembark and the station was devoid of any other people as the two soldiers made their way into town.

There didn't seem to be any cars in the little country village, most people were riding horses or horse-drawn carts. It reminded them of where Riza grew up and a sense of nostalgia filled them both.

Riza quickly cleared her head from these thoughts, though, before the less pleasant memories of her home resurfaced.

"We should probably find someone to take us where we need to go, sir."

"Right as always, lieutenant."

Before either of them got very far in the search for transportation, an old man riding a horse-drawn cart full of hay pulled up to them.

"Well well, it's not very often we see anyone from the military in these parts," he said, smile wide and welcoming. "Might I be of any assistance? You seem a little lost."

Mustang chuckled.

"Is it that obvious? Well, we'd be grateful for a ride. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Mustang and this is Second Lieutenant Hawkeye from East HQ. We're heading to the Elric residence a couple of miles North from the main town."

The old man rubbed his beard and nodded.

"I know where that is. It would be no trouble. Hop on."

The man gestured to the back of his cart where a couple of built in benches were free from hay and available to sit on. Mustang and Hawkeye nodded their thanks and climbed up into the cart, Mustang extending a hand to help Hawkeye up. Riza wanted to roll her eyes at the chivalrous act and his ridiculous grin, but said nothing as she took his hand and sat across from him.

The cart began moving once they were settled, the ride bumpy and almost uncomfortable on the unpaved roads.

"I apologize for the bumpy ride," the old man said, turning back to look at Roy and Riza over his shoulder. "But out here in the countryside, automobiles are rare indeed."

"That's all right. This has its own charm."

Riza frowned when Roy shot her a grin after his comment. Was he seriously flirting with her and insinuating that this was a charming carriage ride? In the middle of a work related trip? The man could be so utterly ridiculous sometimes and she turned from him to look out at the rolling hills, refusing to acknowledge his idiocy.

"So, what brings you to the Elric house, Lt. Colonel Mustang?"

Roy fished into his uniform jacket and pulled out folded piece of paper.

"I've heard reports of two brothers with a gift for alchemy so I came to meet them myself."

Roy unfolded the paper as he spoke and read over the information about the brothers again.

"I see," the old man said thoughtfully. "Scouting for new state alchemists, are you? But why send an officer all the way from East HQ?"

"Finding and recruiting talented state alchemists is part of my job." Mustang sighed. "To be honest, with all the losses we've taken in the civil war, we need all the recruits we can get."

The old man nodded and smiled.

"I can't wait to see the look on those kids' faces when they see such a high ranking officer at their door."

Mustang glowered and paused.

"Did you say... _kids_?"

"Yes, sir." the man replied, looking at Mustang curiously.

Roy lifted the paper he had been given with the Elric's information and scrutinized it closely, an annoyed frown etched into his features.

"It says right here...Resembool Village, Edward Elric, thirty one years old…"

"No sir, Edward Elric is eleven years old," the old man informed him. "His brother is a year younger."

"What's the meaning of this, second lieutenant Hawkeye!?" Roy grumbled, the recruitment papers still held in front of his face as if he'd find something new written there.

"It would appear that either this information came through a time vortex," Riza deadpanned, the sarcasm clearly evident in her voice. "Or someone made a grave error."

The old man laughed good naturedly.

"Why don't you just meet them before you make your decision?"

Mustang and Hawkeye had only been on two other recruitment missions, neither of which amounted to anything. Roy planned to give the usual spiel, but hearing that the men they had come to talk to were actually just kids put a damper on his plans.

He decided to go along with the old farmer's suggestion and at least talk to the kids. Maybe when they were older they'd join the military and become valuable assets. It was a shame that they were probably too young to consider joining right now. That would make this yet another mission he had been sent on that wouldn't get him any bonus points or recognition. How disappointing.

Mustang went to knock on the door, but noticed it was slightly ajar. After knocking quickly and getting no response, he let himself in.

"Hello?" he called as he stepped into the foyer. "Is anyone home?"

"I'll check the back," the farmer said after they didn't get a reply, leaving Roy to investigate the house with Riza right behind.

Not finding anyone downstairs, he went to the second floor and opened the first door he came to. It appeared to be a study, but a deep brownish red blotch in the center of the room was all Roy could focus on. It was covering what looked like a transmutation circle and his eyes grew wide.

"Are these...blood stains?" Riza asked, coming into the room moments later, inspecting streaks on the walls in the same color as the stain on the ground.

Roy didn't reply as he picked up an empty jar and read the label, frown deepening.

"They're not out back either, Lt. Colonel," the old farmer said, poking his head into the room. "Maybe they…"

"Where are they!?" Mustang growled angrily, cutting off the old man. "Where are the Elric brothers!?"

W...well," the old man stammered. "As I was saying, if they're not here, they're probably over at the Rockbell's."

Roy huffed and Riza and he followed the man out of the house. They crossed the yard and Roy bounded up the porch steps of the neighboring house, banging harshly on the Rockbell's door.

"All right Den, quit your yappin'," Pinako Rockbell said in an exasperated tone to the dog that was currently barking at the farmer while she opened the door. "We got visitors…?"

The old woman was cut off and practically pushed aside as Mustang swept into the house.

"Pardon me, Ms. Rockbell." he said hurriedly, stalking from the foyer to search for the boys he knew must be there.

"What the blazes is going on!? Who are you people!?"

"We're very sorry," Riza apologized. "But we're looking for the Elric brothers. We heard they might be here."

Roy passed a sitting room and a boy in a wheelchair in front of a suit of armor made him stop. That must have been one of the Elrics. As he approached, he could see the boy's face more clearly. He looked defeated, his expression haunted, blank and lifeless. It was an expression no little boy should ever have.

Mustang stopped in front of the boy and glared down at him before picking him up by the collar angrily.

"I've been to your house!" Mustang raged at the boy. "What the hell did you do!? What did you _create_!?

The boy's face fell even further into despair and he hid his face behind his collar that was still being stretched by Mustang's firm grip.

"We're sorry," came a disembodied voice. The suit of armor put a hand on Roy's arm seemingly to try to get him to let go of the boy in the wheelchair. "Please forgive us."

Mustang stared up at the suit of armor in confusion, his anger subsiding for the most part.

"I'm sorry," the armor began repeating sadly. "I'm sorry."

 **000000**

Mustang sat at the Rockbell's kitchen table with Pinako and the Elric brothers after hearing their story. He hadn't planned on seriously recruiting the Elric's that day once he heard they were just kids, but with circumstances such as theirs, he wondered if maybe them joining the military was the better option. As state alchemists, they would get full funding for all their work, unlimited access to classified material, all of the government's best research facilities and staff at their disposal, among other things. If they were going to get their original bodies back, being state alchemists might be something that would greatly help them.

While Mustang discussed becoming state alchemists with the boys, Hawkeye sat quietly outside the room. Their conversation was muffled by the door and she could only make out some of what was being said.

"Would you like some tea?"

Riza looked up to see a little blonde girl holding a tray with two tea cups.

"Oh, thank you," Riza said, taking a cup carefully.

The girl took the other cup, placed the tray on the other end of the bench, and plopped down on the seat next to Hawkeye. They sat in silence for a moment, the little girl looking at Riza like she wanted to say something as Riza sipped her tea.

"Um…lieutenant?" the girl spoke finally, looking up at Hawkeye, her eyes almost sad.

"Just call me Riza," Hawkeye responded gently, giving the girl a small smile and extending her hand. "Riza Hawkeye. Nice to meet you."

The girl looked at Riza's hand, appearing to become even more upset.

"Ms. Riza...Have you ever shot a person?"

The question took Hawkeye by surprise and her eyes widened briefly before she retracted her hand, clenching it into a light fist and gazing down at it sadly. The girl must have noticed her pistol sitting in its holster at her hip.

"I have," Hawkeye responded quietly, sounding regretful. "Many times."

"I don't like soldiers," the girl said, turning away from Riza. "My mom and dad got killed when soldiers took them to the battlefield. And now that guy named Mustang is trying to take Ed and Al away. I don't want them to become soldiers. Please don't take them away."

Riza frowned at the girl sadly before turning to face forward, closing her eyes.

"We're not taking them with us by force. The choice is theirs to make." Riza looked back over to the little girl and smiled lightly. "To be honest, I don't like being a soldier either, knowing that if the situation calls for it, I have to be prepared to take a life."

"Why are you in the military then?"

Riza paused as she was about to take a sip of her tea. She looked down, gaze soft yet full of determination.

"Because there's someone I need to protect." Her response was firm, the conviction clear in her tone. "It's not something I'm being forced to do. It's something I decided for myself. I'll pull the trigger by my own free will because I need to keep that person safe. Until the day that person reaches his goal, I will pull the trigger without hesitation. If those boys have a strong will, they'll know what the right place is for them. Although they may have to wade through a river of mud to get there."

The girl stared up at Riza, awe and respect written on her face. Moments later, the door next to them opened and Mustang stepped out.

"Let's go."

"Yes sir," Riza answered, standing and moving to follow him. "I'll see you later little girl." she added, turning back to the girl.

"Oh. My name is Winry." the girl extended her hand, a smile on her face now.

"I see. Okay, Winry." Riza took the girl's hand and shook it gently. "I hope to see you again."

Mustang and Hawkeye climbed into the old farmer's cart again to get back to town where'd they'd be staying at an inn. After all the drama with the Elrics, they took too long and missed their train home. Riza had called headquarters, while Roy was talking to the boys, and spoke to General Grumman about arranging rooms for them and booking a new train back to East City the next morning.

"Do you think those boys will come?" Riza asked during the ride back.

"They'll come."

"You're awfully confident. Judging by the look in that boy's eyes, I'd say he was beyond help."

Mustang smirked.

"You think so? I saw eyes that were burning like fire."

Riza followed Roy's gaze down the road toward the Rockbell house. Something must have changed in the boy for Mustang to be able to say that with such certainty. She smiled softly, truly hoping things would work out for the Elric brothers.

 **000000**

Mustang and Hawkeye thanked the old man after he dropped them off at the inn they were going to be staying at that night. He tipped his hat and drove off and Roy and Riza entered the inn, walking up to the small reception desk. An older lady stood to greet them, smiling warmly. Everyone seemed to be so friendly in this little village.

"Good evening," the old lady said, nodded to the two military officers. "How may I help you?"

"We're here to check in," Riza replied politely. "Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye. A General Grumman was supposed to have called a couple of hours ago to book us rooms for the night."

The old lady checked her reservation book, running her finger along the names on the page until she got to theirs.

"Ah yes. Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye, staying one night. How many keys would you like?

"Two please."

The woman nodded and handed them two keys. Riza frowned.

"I'm sorry, I meant two keys for each room."

"There's only one room, dear," the woman said.

Mustang and Hawkeye blinked at the woman and stared at her as if she had grown another head.

"There must have been some sort of miscommunication," Riza insisted, mentally cursing herself for letting Grumman be in charge of reserving their rooms. The old codger was either absent minded or very devious. Riza wasn't sure which. "That seems to be the running theme for today. We're going to need one more room, please."

"I'm sorry. I would gladly give you another room, but as you can see, this place is quite small and we're all booked up for the night."

Hawkeye and Mustang looked at each other. A mischievous grin was slowly growing on Roy's face at this news and Riza sighed irritably.

"All right," Riza huffed, nodding at the old woman. "Thank you."

"Of course, dear. Have a good night."

Hawkeye and Mustang turned from the front desk and marched up the stairs to find their room. Upon entering, they discovered that there were two queen beds, so they wouldn't have to share or choose who would have to sleep on the floor. At least that was something positive about the situation.

Roy flopped onto one of the beds with a groan.

"This day definitely took a turn for the unexpected," he muttered mostly to himself, but loud enough for Riza to hear. "In more ways than one."

"You'll have to tell the general to be more careful next time," Riza said, removing her uniform jacket and draping it over the back of a chair. She thought for a moment and then added, "Or maybe we shouldn't tell him at all...This could be taken the wrong way. I can't let you get in trouble for something like this. I should have called myself, but the general insisted he wanted to help out."

Mustang chuckled.

"Somehow, I don't think he'd care all that much. In fact, I wouldn't put it passed him to have done this on purpose. He can be quite a conniving old man when he wants to be. Where do you think I learned it from?"

Roy grinned at Riza who glared back at him resolutely.

"Whatever you say, sir," she sighed, slipping off her dress shoes and placing them next to the chair she hung her jacket on.

Riza frowned, realizing she didn't really have anything comfortable to wear to sleep. Her ankle length uniform skirt would be too scratchy and heavy, but there was no way she was sleeping in just her turtleneck and underwear with Mustang staying in the same room. The shirt wasn't long enough and she didn't trust him not to stare. Roy seemed to notice her conundrum and stood from the bed, removing his own jacket and the button up white shirt he wore beneath.

Riza blinked at him as he stripped off his shirt. She hadn't expected him to sleep shirtless, but no matter how awkward she thought the situation _should_ be, she wasn't actually feeling all that uncomfortable. It was just Roy, that's what her mind kept telling her. They had known each other for years. He had become as close to her as family. His presence had always been calming and gave her a feeling of safeness she never felt anywhere else.

Once his shirt was off, Roy held it out to Riza.

"My shirt's probably big enough that it'll cover you pretty well and you could sleep in it more comfortably."

That was also something Riza had not been expecting. Today was just full of odd surprises.

"Thank you, sir," she nodded, taking the shirt from his outstretched hand.

"Of course," he grinned. "Why don't you use the bathroom first, that way you can change out here while I'm in there and you get into bed right away. That way we can keep some semblance of privacy."

"All right, thank you," Riza nodded, heading to the bathroom.

They switched places once she was finished and as soon as Roy closed the bathroom door, Riza shed her remaining clothes, leaving only her underwear on, then put on Roy's shirt, fastening all the buttons but the top two. As Roy had guessed, the shirt was long enough that it reached her mid thigh. She felt much more comfortable as she crawled into her bed, fluffing up the pillows before resting on them. For such a small inn in such a remote town, the bed was relatively comfortable. She had certainly slept in worse.

Roy walzed out of the bathroom a few minutes later, clad in just his military uniform pants. He threw his boots next to Riza's shoes and hopped into his own bed, pulling the covers up to his waist and folded his arms behind his head.

"Are you going to report those boys?" Riza asked, turning to face Roy.

Roy shrugged, looking thoughtful.

"Nah, I don't think so. I feel like they've been punished enough for their mistakes."

Riza nodded at this.

"Mn, they _are_ just kids…"

A few minutes of silence passed between them before Roy spoke again.

"You were talking to that little friend of theirs. What did she have to say?"

"She mentioned that her parents were killed in the civil war," Riza sighed, tone quiet and melancholy. "Seems like what happened in Ishval affected people even way out here in the countryside… Kids like her shouldn't have to go through something like that."

Roy could tell, just from the tone of her voice, that Riza was feeling very empathetic toward the little girl. He turned on his side to face Riza, meeting her gaze.

"That's why we're going to succeed," he said, voice firm and full of confidence. "We have to, for kids like her."

 **000000**

After writing this, I realized the dude that drives Roy and Riza to the Elric's house was totally military. He has a cap that matches the uniforms and everything. But all this time I honestly thought he was just some local guy because he was driving a cart. So uh, ignore that minor discrepancy. lol

There was also going to be another angsty fluff scene at the end, but I liked how it sounded ending it this way so I'm going to make the missing scene into a one shot later on. I'll probably be making a series of one shots with all the little scenes that didn't quite fit in with the main story. So look forward to that maybe soon. I'm either going to write them as I go so that the context for the scene is still fresh in my mind, or I'm going to wait until I'm done with this fic. We'll see.

Anyway, thank you for reading and see you next chapter. And as always, feedback is loved and appreciated. Knowing what people think of my fic really motivates me to keep writing.


	17. Undercover

The East City Investigations Department had been at a stalemate for the last few months in finding and apprehending a wanted criminal. They finally managed to secure reliable information that the man would be at a high class bar in East City in two days, but they needed an experienced team to go out and catch him. When General Grumman caught wind of this, he volunteered Mustang's team for the job. He gave Mustang all the information during their chess game that day and the young lieutenant colonel eagerly accepted. He immediately handed out the information packets to his team and ordered them to have everything memorized by the morning the mission was to take place.

They would be going undercover in order to get closer to the wanted criminal, and Riza had suggested she go into the bar alone and lure them out. Mustang did not like that idea at all and instead suggested they go in posing as a couple. This time Hawkeye was the one that didn't like the idea much, but had to agree it was the more practical option considering how dangerous this man was.

So the evening of the mission found them walking into the specific bar together, Roy's arm around Riza's waist and a overly large and very un-Riza like smile adorning the lieutenant's face. 'Elizabeth' was out to play. It was the first time Riza had used the persona since Roy and his sisters had given her the codename and it felt almost awkward putting on such a facade. Elizabeth was the exact opposite of the serious realist Riza and the looks she was receiving for her huge smiles, flirty laughs, long brown wig, and short dress made her want to shoot everyone in the bar.

Mustang sat with Hawkeye in a corner booth that had a good view of the rest of the bar. As they talked, Riza noticed that Roy was clearly excited at the prospect of successfully completing this mission. The man they were after was a notorious gang leader wanted for everything from petty robbery to rape and murder. If they were able to apprehend him, it could mean huge points for Mustang and maybe even a promotion. The prospect had Mustang in a good mood despite having to be out late at night surrounded by murderers at an overly ritzy bar in downtown East City.

The way Riza was dressed that evening was also cause to put him in a good mood, but he'd never tell her that. He quite liked his handsome face and didn't want a black eye and busted lip marring it.

Havoc was sitting alone in a booth across the room from them. Hawkeye made eye contact with him and Havoc nodded at her, casually pointing in a certain direction while he lifted his glass and took a drink.

"Jacqueline certainly misses you at the flower shop," Riza said, her voice floaty and higher pitched than usual. She used the codename for Havoc they had decided upon a couple of weeks after she had gotten her own. Mustang thought it was a good idea to give his team female codenames for undercover missions and even though his men seemed a little apprehensive about it, Mustang was convinced he was brilliant for coming up with the idea and wouldn't hear any complaints. "She's got her eye on a man right now who doesn't have a very good reputation and I'm worried about her."

Mustang met Hawkeye's gaze and nodded, understanding the hidden meaning in her words. _Havoc has his eye on the target._ He grinned, playing his part, and took a sip of his drink, wishing he could have more than one. The way the men in the bar had been staring at Riza made him angry and he wanted to torch the place. He knew most of them were part of the gang whose leader they were after tonight and his overprotective streak was on high alert. Even though he knew Hawkeye always carried multiple weapons on her person at any given time and even though he knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself, it didn't stop him from worrying for her safety.

"Ah, well, maybe I'll have to stop by again soon," Mustang replied cheerily. "Can't have one of my favorite ladies falling for someone else."

Riza giggled, the sound very foreign to Roy, almost making him spill his drink in surprise. He kept his composure though and sipped his drink lightly while eyeing her.

"You're such a tease," she said, flipping the tawny strands of her wig over her shoulder and leaning toward him, lifting her own drink to her scarlet painted lips. Roy wasn't used to her wearing such bright lipstick and it made her lips stand out to the point that every time he glanced at them, he had trouble looking away. "I thought I was your favorite. "

Riza flirting was almost bizarre, but not exactly unwelcome to Roy. He tore his eyes from her lips and took a large swig of his drink. Hawkeye shot him a brief glare at that. He wasn't supposed to drink too much or too quickly during missions. They needed level heads in case things went bad. Roy knew this and always followed that unspoken rule, but tonight he was finding it a little difficult not to down his drink. Riza had never played an active part in an undercover mission before. Usually she was staked outside waiting to ambush their target, like Breda was now. Instead she was sitting with him, flirting and dressed to kill and Mustang surprised himself by managing not to gape at her the whole time. The fact that he was secretly in love with her definitely didn't make things any easier.

"You know you're my favorite," Roy said, his grin and gaze softening. He wondered if she'd understand that he wasn't just talking about Elizabeth. "But I can't give _all_ my attention to you. I'd feel bad leaving the others out."

Riza gave him a searching look, hiding behind her glass, lipstick leaving marks on the rim when she set it down again. It was then that Havoc caught her attention as he made a motion toward the dance floor in the center of the room. She and Mustang noticed their target dancing with a red head in a form fitting dress. The way he looked at the woman was unnerving and Hawkeye briefly wondered why the woman was allowing him so close to her. Riza guessed she must have been blinded by the man's charms and obvious signs of wealth because the warning signs were so obvious to the lieutenant.

Hawkeye and Mustang exchanged glances, confirming that they both had spotted the target.

"Would you like to dance?" Mustang said through a charming grin, extending his hand to Hawkeye.

Riza stared at him and broke character for a moment, frowning and giving him a hard glare.

"I'm not very good at dancing," she said, getting back into character. "You know that, silly."

The endearing insult was a far kinder name than what she wanted to call him. Had he seriously forgotten her lack of dancing skills? Hughes' wedding hadn't been _that_ long ago.

This made Mustang snicker at her and she could tell he was holding back. If they were anywhere else she was sure he would have been laughing much louder.

"You mean you haven't practiced or anything since the last time?"

He continued to laugh at her and she glared at him again.

"When have I had time between work and babysitting you?" she snapped quietly.

This made him stop laughing and he pouted at her.

"You're so mean, Elizabeth."

Riza smiled sweetly.

"Only when you deserve it."

The conversation was rendered moot as their suspect and his date looked like they were getting ready to leave. Havoc had noticed this too and hurried out ahead of them to alert Breda who was hiding out in the alley next door. Hawkeye and Mustang would follow the couple out, effectively sandwiching their target between them and Havoc and Breda, which would make it easier to stop him should he suspect something and try to make a getaway.

Things still seemed to be going smoothly as Hawkeye and Mustang slipped out of the bar shortly after their target. They saw Havoc and Breda about a block ahead of the criminal and his date and Roy and Riza moved to follow, close enough that they could almost hear the man talking to the red head, but far enough that it wouldn't be obvious that they were following the couple.

Apparently the man was far more paranoid than anyone expected and he glanced back several times at Roy and Riza, who were doing their best to ignore the couple in front of them and pretend to be flirting with each other and drunk. Eventually the man stopped and turned toward them. This made Roy and Riza decide to duck into an alley in the hopes that the man would ignore them and continue walking with his date.

They were not so lucky that night though as they heard heavy footsteps coming closer to them. Roy and Riza looked at each other, trying to formulate a quick plan of action to throw their target off. In seconds they would be caught and would more than likely have to resort to more dangerous methods of apprehending a criminal.

Before Riza could come up with anything, Roy pushed her gently against the wall and shoved his face into the space between her neck and shoulder, his nose barely grazing the fabric on the high neck of her dress. The surprise was clear on Riza's face.

She couldn't feel Roy's breath on her neck due to the high collar of her dress, but she knew he was close enough that she would have felt it had her neck been bare. She quickly understood what he was doing and attempted to regain her composure, falling back into character and giggling, hiding her face in his hair.

"You are so impatient when you're drunk," she teased. "Couldn't wait to get to my place, huh?"

Roy chuckled and pulled her closer as the footsteps arrived at the end of the alleyway. Out the corner of his eye, Roy saw the man staring at them, his silhouette outlined by the streetlamp behind him. The man inched closer, hand moving to what was probably a gun at his side, and Roy decided he needed to up their game. He began actually kissing Riza's neck, first at the top of her shoulder, then along the fabric on her neck until he reached bare skin. He gently pressed his lips to the exposed skin of her neck just below her jaw and then kissed the underside of her jaw before making the trip back down. He felt Riza stiffen in his arms as he did this and mentally made a note to apologize profusely later. If she didn't knock him out first.

Thankfully, this seemed to make their target pause, his hand dropping from his side as he heard Riza giggle again. He stared at them a few moments longer, Roy still kissing Riza's neck and both of them trying to pretend like they were so busy that they hadn't even seen the man walk into the alley. Roy felt Riza's hand slide under his jacket and he paused in his show of affection on her neck, wondering what she was doing. He realized she was going for the gun he had strapped on his lower back. It was probably easier to reach and less conspicuous than any she might have had on her.

He quickly returned to lavishing attention to her neck and moments later, Riza had grabbed his gun, removed the safety, aimed at their target, and fired, hitting the man in the leg and making him fall back with a cry of pain. Their target dropped his gun and Riza moved to snatch it up while Roy put on one of his gloves, hovering over the wanted criminal groaning on the ground.

Their target's date came around the corner after hearing the gunshot and screamed. Havoc and Breda came up behind her soon after, Breda putting a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder to try to calm her and explain the situation. Havoc stepped forward with a pair of handcuffs.

"We've already told Fuery to contact investigations, Chief," Havoc said as he handcuffed the criminal, who was still cursing and moaning.

"Good, good," Mustang replied, keeping his glove on and his fingers in position to snap should anything else go awry. "Take him out of this alley and go wait with him under a streetlamp so Investigations can find you easier."

Havoc nodded, hoisting the man to his feet and practically dragging him out of the alley. Breda followed, gently escorting the red headed woman with his hand on her back.

"I'll make sure she gets home safely," Breda said to Mustang as he left.

"Well, I guess that went well," Mustang said, turning to Riza who just glared at him. "Excellent timing and aim, as always, Lieutenant.

"Thank you sir," she said tonelessly, though Mustang could tell she was annoyed. The truth was that she was also very flustered from his unexpected display of fake affection and she was trying very hard to mask her nervousness with annoyance. Little did she know his show of affection wasn't entirely fake. "I'm not sure I agree with your method of distracting a target, though."

Mustang cringed and held his hands up in defense.

"I'm very sorry, Lieutenant," he apologized sincerely, eyes pleading with her to not be too angry. "But I couldn't think of anything else in such a short amount of time. Forgive me."

Hawkeye sighed and put the safety back on his gun before handing it back to him.

"Fine, just don't let something like that happen again."

"I assure you, it won't."

Hawkeye nodded at this and turned from him to leave the alley. Mustang followed her, after heaving a sigh of relief, thankful she hadn't seemed as mad as he was expecting, just as the Investigations team arrived to arrest gang leader they had taken down.

 **000000**

The next day, General Grumman called Mustang into his office.

"Congratulations are in order, Mustang my boy," the old general said, grinning and extending his hand to Roy. "I've heard that a promotion is in store for you this week."

Mustang took his hand and shook it firmly, grinning wider than Grumman.

"I'm honored, sir. A full colonel at my age… I'm sure there are quite a few people who would oppose this greatly."

Grumman laughed heartily, sitting down after shaking Roy's hand.

"Indeed. But I don't think it's enough to cause alarm, especially with your particular habits. I'm sure no one will even think twice about a kid like you."

"Well, I did learn from the best... While we're on the subject of promotions though, I have someone I'd like to recommend."

"Oh? And who might that be?"

"Second Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, sir. She was integral to this last mission. If it wasn't for her, we would never have apprehended the criminal. I think a promotion to First Lieutenant is in order."

Grumman smiled and folded his hands in front of his face, elbows resting on his desk.

"Of course, that seems more than reasonable. It certainly sounds like she deserves it. Consider it done."

Roy smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, sir."

With that, he saluted and left Grumman's office. He overheard the other officers in the halls whispering about him and he kept his face blank until he was out of sight. Once he knew no one was watching him any longer, he let a wide smirk slowly overtake his features.

 **000000**

Riza sat in her apartment that night reading a book, sitting in a plush armchair next to the fireplace. Having just gotten out of the shower, her short hair was still damp. She had been growing it out recently and it was slightly longer than normal, but not too noticeable quite yet unless you really looked at her.

A quick knock on her door made her look up, brow furrowing in confusion. She wasn't expecting anyone and wasn't sure who could possibly be at her door at nineteen hundred on a Friday night. It was the weekend and Mustang was usually off at a bar or at home talking to Hughes over the phone, Rebecca almost always had a date on Friday nights, and she didn't really know anyone else that would bother coming to her house for any reason.

She closed her book and stood, grabbing her gun out of the drawer in the side table next to her. Walking to the door, she peered through the peephole to see Roy standing there, looking somewhat impatient as he glanced about waiting for her to let him in. Sighing, she put her gun down and opened the door quickly to reprimand him.

Mustang looked up at her with a smile once she opened the door for him.

"Hawkeye!" he beamed. "How are you this evening?"

Riza stared at him incredulously, eyeing the bunch of music records he held under one arm.

"What are you doing here, sir?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Oh stop looking at me like that. It's fine, I wasn't spotted."

"That still doesn't mean you can just waltz over here any time you feel like it. You know rumors spread quickly in the military."

"I know. So, let me in before someone _does_ come by and see me."

Riza frowned, but stepped out of the way so he could enter her apartment.

"And what are you doing with those records?" she asked as she shut the door and latched it.

This made Roy grin widely as he set the records down on her coffee table.

"Well," he began, looking very proud of himself. "You said yesterday that you still weren't very good at dancing and…"

"Oh no, you are _not_ coming here for something as stupid as that," she groaned, cutting him off and rubbing her temples as if she had a headache. "I can't believe you, sir. Are you an idiot?"

Roy frowned at that.

"And here I thought you'd be happy to celebrate our promotions."

"We have plans to go out with the team next week to celebrate," she reminded him flatly, not budging in her opinion of his being there just to teach her how to dance.

Mustang sighed.

"Look, Hawkeye," he said, tone softer and not as full of excitement. "I thought it might be fun. Could you humor me, just this once?"

His more serious tone and expression made her relax, glare softening. She sighed and relented, extending her hand to him.

"Fine, but I don't want this becoming a routine."

"I assure you, this will just be for tonight," he replied, grinning again and taking her hand. "Also, is your hair a little longer?"

Riza stared at him in disbelief. Leave it to him to notice such a little thing. It made her feel warm, being noticed by him, and she couldn't help but smile as he pulled her into the living room to begin their dance lessons.

 **000000**

I got this chapter finished a lot faster than I expected. This was a fun one to write. I always wanted to try writing an undercover mission. They can be so fun to read.

I also wanted to come up with a possible scenario of how Roy got his promotion to colonel in the year it took Ed to get used to his automail. And I assumed Riza also got her promotion to first lieutenant around the same time, so I just went with that.

Hope you enjoyed this one! Next chapter is going to be a super angsty two-parter. It'll be my first cliffhanger in a fic ever I think. I'm looking forward to making you all cry. *evil laughter* See you next chapter.


	18. Desperation

I was not going to go into detail at all on Roy teaching Riza to dance, but mixmax300 left a review requesting to get a more elaborate scene with them dancing. So, you can thank them for the first part of this. It's a super short scene, because I haven't taken dance lessons since I was a kid and I don't actually remember much, which is why I was not going to go into any kind of detail about it, but I decided that adding a little fluff to the beginning of this might be a good idea to maybe mellow out the pain you will possibly be feeling by the end...

 **000000**

What Roy had promised would only be a one time occurrence ended up turning into a weekly ritual and over a month later, he was still sneaking over to Riza's apartment on Friday nights and staying for a few hours to teach her to dance. Riza had tried to object the first couple of times, but whenever he pouted at her she couldn't stay annoyed at him and she eventually gave up trying to get him to stop showing up at her door unannounced every Friday night.

If she was being honest with herself, she enjoyed his company and didn't actually mind him coming over once a week. She was even beginning to have fun with the dance lessons. Someone noticing Mustang going to her place alone at night was still a cause for concern, but he had been careful thus far, so she didn't dwell on it much after the first couple of times.

"I'm expecting a call from Hughes tonight so I can't stay too long," Roy mentioned to Riza as they danced to a song with a moderate tempo, one that had become one of Riza's favorites to dance to.

"Oh, all right," Riza muttered, sounding far too disappointed for her own liking.

Roy grinned at her and chuckled.

"You sound mildly disappointed, Lieutenant. I'm surprised. Are you actually, dare I say, _enjoying_ these lessons?"

Riza just stared at him, face not betraying what she was feeling, though Roy could see a bit of humor in her eyes.

"And what if I am?"

Roy's face took on a look of surprise before his grin quickly grew back, wider this time. He had not been expecting that response and it certainly was better than what he had been thinking she'd say.

"Then I'm glad," he murmured into her ear as he pulled her slightly closer. "Because I've been enjoying them too."

A light blush colored Riza's cheeks, but before she could respond to his admission, the song ended and he left her to go change the record. She felt sad, almost cold at the loss of contact and she took a deep breath to regain her composure. Did he know how easily he could fluster her? What his soft gaze and warm embrace did to her was practically a crime.

Roy finished changing the record and returned to her side, taking her hand.

"Just one more song and then I need to leave. We can pick this up next week."

Riza nodded and felt a sense of calm return to her as he put his arm around her again, his other hand gently holding hers. She gripped his shoulder lightly and they began flowing around the living room to the slow beat of the waltz that began playing.

"Have I mentioned that you've gotten much better at this?" Roy asked, a proud smile on his face.

Riza shook her head and a small smile tugged at her own lips.

"Thank you, sir."

 **000000**

Mustang and Hawkeye had been called to General Grumman's office for a debriefing on a case involving arms smugglers from Drachma. Mustang's team had been trailing this particular group for weeks and new information had just been phoned in that could finally help them find the dealers and maybe put this case to rest.

Roy and Riza stood at attention upon entering the general's office.

"As you were." Grumman said, waving them in. "Please, have a seat."

The two did as they were asked and Grumman slid a packet of papers across his desk toward Mustang.

"As you know, I called you in here to talk about the Drachman arms dealers your team has been tracking the last few weeks."

Roy nodded.

"Yes sir. I'm hoping you have reliable information on their whereabouts for me?"

"I do. But, unfortunately, this was an anonymous tip, so it could very well be a trap."

"I'll take any information I can get," Mustang said, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands in his lap. "These guys have been hard to track and even if it is a trap, I'm confident we can handle it."

Grumman glanced at Riza. Her expression hadn't changed since she arrived and he couldn't tell how she felt about Roy's confidence about this particular mission. What he did notice, however, was that her eyes kept looking down at his desk for a few moments before darting back up to look somewhere over his shoulder. He followed where her gaze had been going and his eyes landed on the picture of his wife and daughter on his desk.

"These arms dealers are dangerous," Grumman said, focusing back onto Mustang. "Watch yourselves out there."

Roy and Riza stood and saluted.

"Of course, sir." Roy said, taking the information about the arms dealers from Grumman's desk before turning on his heel and swiftly moving toward the door, Riza two steps behind.

"Ah, Lieutenant Hawkeye," Grumman said casually. "May I have a quick word?"

Roy and Riza exchanged a look before Roy nodded to her and left, shutting the door behind him. Hawkeye walked back up to Grumman's desk.

"I noticed you were looking at this photograph during our discussion just now," Grumman said, picking up the framed picture.

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to be distracted."

"It's fine, my dear. I know why it caught your attention," Grumman paused then stood and held out the photo to Hawkeye who stared at him curiously.

"Sir?"

"Why don't you keep this. I have another on my desk at home just like it."

Hawkeye was almost at a loss for words.

"I couldn't sir, I…"

"Just take it, Lieutenant. Let an old man give a nice gift to his only granddaughter."

Riza smiled at that, taking the photo and gazing down at it, eyes glistening with tears she wouldn't allow herself to shed while on duty.

"Thank you," she breathed, genuinely grateful for such a meaningful gift.

"You're welcome, my dear," he said, also smiling as he sat back down at his desk. "That was all."

Riza tucked the frame into her jacket, saluted, and left Grumman's office to find Roy waiting for her in the hall. He looked up when she walked out, eyes narrowing in concern upon noticing that she looked like she was about to cry.

"Everything okay? What did he want?"

Riza's typical stoic demeanor returned and she met his gaze, all traces of her previous emotions replaced by an uninterested look.

"Nothing important, sir," she replied, which wasn't exactly a lie. It wasn't anything important to him or work so it didn't merit any explanation, at least not while on duty.

Roy frowned, searching her eyes for answers. What he saw made him realize there was no point in pushing her. She was looking at him with that stubborn gaze he had learned meant she was not going to talk about anything or back down no matter how much he asked. She would tell him if and when she wanted to, so to save themselves unneeded aggravation, he simply nodded and turned to head back to their office.

 **000000**

Because Grumman had said that the information on the location of the Drachman arms dealers had been an anonymous tip off, team Mustang took every precaution to ensure the safety of the team that night in the event of a surprise attack. With very few leads to go on, they had to take the chance that it wasn't a trap, but Havoc, Hawkeye, and Mustang were still careful and alert as they crept around the dimly lit warehouse.

Fuery was stationed a block down from them with Breda, radio at the ready to alert Falman back at headquarters in the event of a successful mission or if things went south. It was the usual setup for field missions and no one was really too worried, going about their typical routine for such assignments.

When Mustang, Havoc, and Hawkeye scoped out most of the warehouse, Roy motioned for Havoc to go out and inspect the front again while Roy and Riza would continue to look around inside and then head out back. Splitting up wasn't always the best idea, but they had already been there for almost an hour and the longer they took to find the men they were looking for, the more likely whatever deal had supposedly been going down would end and they'd be back to square one.

The area was eerily quiet. Almost too quiet. The air in the warehouse was thick with must and it seemed like it hadn't been used in months. If anyone had been there recently, they were very good at hiding and covering their tracks. The only suggestion of anyone's presence was the dim light in the center of the warehouse. If the place really hadn't been used in a while, none of the lights would be on at all. It seemed like either Mustang's team was too late, or the Drachman smugglers knew how to hide fast.

Roy and Riza exited out the back of the building, creeping through the shadows, searching for any clues that might tell them if this was a pointless endeavor or not. After a thorough search of the premises and still finding no signs of activity, they believed the tip must have been a red herring and Roy let his guard down, grumbling to himself.

But not Riza. Never Riza. Always diligent. Constantly aware of everything around her. After all, a bodyguard never rests while in the field. Her need to protect Roy came above all and, that evening, her instincts once again proved to be invaluable.

Glancing up at the sky, Roy noticed clouds slowly blowing in. It looked like rain would be in their near future if they didn't wrap things up soon. He sighed and frowned.

"Of course it's going to rain," he grumbled to no one in particular. "This is already looking like a bust so of course the weather would be against me too...I…"

Before Mustang could finish his sentence, Hawkeye pushed him down and stepped in front of him, gun aimed ahead of her, eyes locked on the shadows.

She had caught a glimpse of what had looked like light flashing off metal. Sure enough, several yards away, Hawkeye spotted a lone gunman, kneeling on the ground and aiming right for Mustang. She didn't have time to take the man out before he shot, so she put herself between the man and Mustang just as a gunshot rang out. She shot her handgun at the same time, hitting her target between the eyes, but she didn't have enough time to move herself out of harm's way and took the full impact of the gunman's handgun bullet to her sternum. She fell with a grunt practically in Mustang's lap.

It took a few moments for Roy to realize what had happened, but as soon as he did he grabbed Riza's shoulders and dragged her fully onto his lap. He shouted to Havoc who had come running to them after hearing the shots. Roy's voice was panicked as he instructed the second lieutenant to call for an ambulance. Havoc didn't spare a second as he took off running in the direction of where Fuery and Breda were camped, hoping he'd get there fast enough.

Mustang turned his attention back to Hawkeye.

"Lieutenant! Can you hear me?"

A groan was the only response he got and he was grateful for even that.

Roy's hands shook as he held her in his arms. Despite the warmth from her blood seeping through his clothes, a creeping chill slowly settled over him. How had this happened? They had been so careful.

There was so much blood. Too much blood. A horrifying thought came to Mustang and the grimace on his face almost matched Hawkeye's.

Riza was dying, a bullet through her chest. A bullet meant for him.

Roy held Riza tighter in his arms.

"Don't close your eyes, Lieutenant, stay with me," Roy spoke softly, trying to keep his voice steady. "That's an order."

"I'll try, sir," she managed to reply weakly.

Keeping herself conscious was difficult and she leaned into him, absorbing the warmth his embrace provided as her own slowly drained from her. Roy ran his hand through her cropped hair, brushing her bangs from her eyes. The ambulance was taking a long time to reach them. Too long.

"You're going to be fine," Roy whispered, dread settling in the pit of his stomach at how cold and still his lieutenant was becoming. "Help will be here soon. Just hang on."

Riza took in a ragged breath and looked up at him, her vision blurred, a small smile on her lips.

"I…might not be able to…follow your orders this time…" she breathed.

Roy clenched his teeth, his eyes beginning to sting.

"Don't you dare…" He growled, unable to hide his grief any longer.

"I'm sorry," Riza managed, her voice barely audible.

Roy shook her, trying to keep her with him.

"No…No, no…"

This was not the end. He would not let her die. But doubt fell over him as he stared down at her. What if it really was the last time he'd ever see her?

In a last desperate act, he leaned down closer to her, warm breath tickling her rapidly cooling skin. As he gently touched his lips to hers, just as rain began to fall, he couldn't tell which one of them was crying.

Their first kiss tasted of copper and salt.

 **000000**

Here's a nice cliffhanger for you. Are you in pain yet? Haha. Some of you might recognize some of this from my very first Royai oneshot I wrote for Royai Week 2016, which can be found in my Royai week 2016 Collection. I changed it around a bit and added more to it, but it's the same idea.

Thanks for reading, I'll hopefully have the next chapter out soon. As always, feedback is loved and appreciated.


	19. Against the Odds

The ambulance ride to the hospital was the longest twenty minutes Roy had ever experienced. Riza had been unconscious for almost five minutes by the time the paramedics arrived and she did not wake the entire ride to the hospital, nor when they ran with her stretcher down the halls toward the emergency room. They had thankfully been able to stem her blood loss, but she had already lost so much by that point that Roy could tell the paramedics were worried, though they kept saying she'd be okay.

Roy ran alongside Riza's stretcher until they reached the emergency room where the doctors informed him he wouldn't be allowed in. He knew there was no point in arguing despite his almost desperate need to be by her side, but he did have one thing to say to the doctor and the rest of medical staff that would be performing her surgery, and even he was surprised by the forcefulness of his tone.

"Should you see anything... _unusual_ on her, you would do well to forget about it." Roy spoke in an almost calm voice, but the menacing threat was clear. "If you mention anything to anyone about what you might see, I will personally make sure none of you find work in Amestris for the rest of your lives."

"And," the doctor spoke nervously, trying not to be unhinged by the dangerous aura radiating off of Mustang. "Who exactly are you to be making such threats?"

Roy thought it should have been obvious given that his rank was clearly displayed on the shoulders of his military jacket, until he remembered said jacket was currently balled up and soaked in blood on the stretcher at Riza's side. He had been using it to try to stop the bleeding while they waited for the ambulance back at the warehouse.

"I'm Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. I have the authority to back up my threat."

The doctor nodded quickly, fear evident in his eyes at the mention of the title, before turning to get into the emergency room to begin Riza's surgery. He would certainly obey the orders Roy gave. The doctor did not want to upset the Flame Alchemist.

Roy touched the man's shoulder.

"And please," he began, demeanor changing completely. He looked almost broken now. A far cry from the foreboding presence he just projected not two seconds ago. "Save her."

The doctor nodded again.

"We'll do our best. Now please, wait in the sitting room. I'll have someone inform you of our progress soon."

With that, the doctor shut the emergency room door behind him. Mustang took a deep breath and went to sit down in the empty waiting room. His jaw clenched and he continuously tightened and untightened his hands into fists. The worry was evident in his features and actions and he couldn't keep still, standing every few minutes to pace around the room. He barely noticed when Havoc showed up until the blond man put a hand on Mustang's shoulder. Roy looked up sharply, expecting one of the nurses, only to sigh at the sight of Havoc who smirked humorlessly.

"Expecting someone else, eh?"

"Yeah…" Mustang sighed, jamming his hands into his pockets to try to hide the fact that they were shaking slightly.

"It's only been half an hour, boss," Havoc spoke quietly in what he hoped was a calming voice. "She'll be okay. She's strong as hell. She's a fighter and they'll fix her up good as new. You'll see."

Mustang gave Havoc a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Over the next few hours the rest of the team showed up and sat with Mustang. No one spoke much and they were all trying their best to stay calm in front of their frazzled commander, but it was difficult when no one knew how things were going in the emergency room. They had to believe the surgery was going well since it had been over three hours and no one had come to inform them of anything bad. That meant they were still working to repair her wound which meant that she was still alive.

The time was nearing AM hours and the members of Team Mustang slowly began leaving to go home. They didn't really want to leave Roy there alone, but none of them would be any use to anyone if they were suffering from lack of sleep. It was obvious Roy wasn't going anywhere any time soon and if he was going to be sleep deprived, it was best the others got some rest so they could be level headed and help their commanding officer should he need their support.

Soon after everyone had departed for home, a nurse came into the waiting room and Roy jumped up from his seat when he saw her.

"Colonel Mustang?" the woman asked as he approached her.

Roy couldn't tell what kind of news she was bringing him, but she seemed calm so that was positive.

"Yes," Roy answered her quickly. "How is she?"

"They're still working to repair the damage. She's not in the clear yet, but she's more stable than when she was brought in. I can't promise anything, but the doctors are doing all they can."

Roy nodded slowly as she spoke, the worry evident in his eyes.

"Alright, thank you."

The nurse smiled at him and returned to the emergency room, leaving Roy to his thoughts again as he paced the waiting room. He slumped back into a chair, his arms on his knees, head bowed and held between his hands. This had already been the longest night of his life and it wasn't even over yet. There was still a chance he could lose her and he really didn't know what he would do without her. He couldn't imagine a life with her not in it. All of his plans for the future included Riza Hawkeye and he didn't know when exactly that had happened, but that's how it was now and he didn't plan on that changing. She would pull through this. She had to. He refused to think any other way and he pushed all of his negative thoughts to the back of his mind, trying his best not to think about them.

Roy sat like that for an indefinite amount of time, lost in his worry, trying to keep himself calm, and when he looked up next, the sun was just beginning to rise, the soft light barely peaking out over the horizon. That was when the nurse finally walked in bearing better news than before.

"Colonel Mustang," the nurse said, smiling kindly as he stood to face her. "Lieutenant Hawkeye is out of surgery and being set up in a private room, as you ordered. She will still need to be monitored closely for the next few days and will need to remain here for probably a minimum of two weeks. She lost a lot of blood and the wound was a difficult one to mend, but the doctors have done all they can. Now it's up to her."

Mustang nodded.

"May I see her now?" he asked, hope and relief filling his eyes.

"Well," the nurse began, sounding remorseful. "The doctors would prefer if she had no visitors right now…" She paused as Mustang's face fell. His pouting had a way of making people, especially women, relent to his wishes. She sighed. "But I suppose I can let you in…" Roy's face lit up again and she blushed. "As long as you are very quiet. She also probably won't wake up until much later today. It might even be longer than that."

Roy nodded quickly.

"I just want to see her, even if she isn't awake. I promise I'll be as quiet as possible."

"This way."

Roy followed her down a long, stark white corridor, stopping at the second to last room. A group of nurses and doctors were leaving the room as they arrived, having just finished getting Riza situated inside.

The nurse Roy had been following opened the door for him once the others were gone and led him into the room. He stopped at the end of Riza's bed and almost gasped. She was very pale and looked so fragile. Roy had never seen her look so delicate, like she would break the minute someone touched her.

"I'll leave you alone," the nurse said, turning to leave.

"Thank you for letting me in here," Roy said to her as she left, his voice quiet and sincere.

It made her blush again and she nodded before hurrying out of the room.

After she was gone, Roy dragged one of the chairs over to Riza's bedside, sitting down and leaning forward, arms resting on his legs, hands folded between his knees.

"Hawkeye, you idiot…" Roy whispered to her, even though he knew she wouldn't hear. "I know it's your job to protect me, but damn it… Not if it's going to cost you your life. I'm not worth it…"

He sighed as he stared at her sleeping face. The steady rise and fall of her chest filled him with such relief that he almost cried, eyes stinging and welling up with tears. He grit his teeth and slumped back in his chair harshly, letting his head fall against the back of the chair. He stared up at the ceiling, covered his eyes with his arm, and let sleep finally take him.

 **000000**

It was still well before noon when the members of Mustang's team arrived again to check on their fallen comrade. Havoc and Breda had stopped off at East Headquarters first to inform Grumman of the situation and that Hawkeye and Mustang would not be coming into work that day. The general had no problems with that and even told Havoc to make sure to keep him informed on Hawkeye's condition. Having to report directly to a general made Havoc slightly nervous, but he wouldn't let Grumman down, planning to return with news, good or bad, as soon as he could.

The team entered Riza's room to see Mustang asleep, slumped in a chair at Hawkeye's bedside. They all exchanged nervous looks. One of them was going to have to wake their colonel and try to convince him to go home for a little while and at least take a shower and change. The men decided on a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine who the lucky one would be. Havoc lost and grumbled as he walked up to Mustang, putting a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Chief, you should uh, wake up now."

He gave Mustang's shoulder and nudge and Roy's eyes snapped open, glaring as soon as they landed on Jean. Havoc snatched his hand back and took a step away quickly, thankful the man did not have his ignition gloves on.

"Uh, hey boss," Havoc said and he and the rest of the team saluted. "So, what did the doc say about Hawkeye?"

Havoc tried to sound casual, but had a feeling he failed.

Mustang grunted as he sat up straighter, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He glanced at Hawkeye.

"Said she might not wake up until later today," Mustang said, voice sounding hoarse from sleep. "Might not even wake up until tomorrow…"

"At least she's in a more stable condition," Falman said, trying to look on the bright side of things. "The worst is behind her now."

Mustang nodded, not looking away from Hawkeye. Breda nudged Havoc in the side, gesturing at Mustang with his head, and Jean sighed.

"Hey boss," Havoc said. Mustang didn't look up at him so he cleared his throat and continued. "You should probably go home and at least shower and change. You'll feel a lot better and we'll be here with Hawkeye and let you know if anything changes."

This made Mustang look up at his team with a frown.

"No, I'm fine," he said firmly. "I want to be here when she wakes up."

"Well, I mean, you're kind of…" Havoc gestured to his shirt and Mustang's brow furrowed in confusion for a second before he got the hint and looked down at his own shirt.

The front of his white button up was splotched with blood that had already begun turning brown from having been dry for a while. He was honestly surprised he hadn't felt the stiffness in the stained areas of the fabric until right then. He looked back at Hawkeye for a few more moments, his expression made it clear he was warring with himself about whether he should leave or not, before he finally sighed and stood.

"All right… I'll be back soon. Make sure to call me immediately if anything changes in her condition."

The team nodded.

"Of course, sir." Fuery said, giving his superior a reassuring smile.

Mustang took one last longing look at Hawkeye before turning from her and briskly leaving the room. The tension in the air dissipated as soon as the colonel was gone and Mustang's team heaved a collective sigh of relief. Mustang and Hawkeye were going to be the death of them one day, they were sure of it.

"Man, good work Havoc," Breda said, patting Havoc in the shoulder. "I thought he was going to kill you for sure for suggesting he leave."

"Yet you still made me do it?"

"Better you than me."

The team laughed as Havoc grumbled and flopped unceremoniously into the chair Mustang had previously occupied.

Soon they were all surrounding Hawkeye's bed staring down at her with grimaces on their faces.

"Our girl's in rough shape," Havoc sighed.

"Yeah," Breda agreed. "She looks like death warmed over. No wonder the colonel was so upset."

"At least she's not in danger of dying anymore," Fuery piped in, receiving a nod from Falman.

"We just need to be there for her after she wakes up," Falman pointed out. "She might be in a lot of pain and might need our assistance."

They all nodded in agreement just as the door flew open and Rebecca Catalina marched into the room looking frantic.

"I heard what happened! Is she okay?! Is she awake? Where is that bastard colonel? Why is he not with her? I knew he was nothing but trouble! I told her she'd get hurt because of him sooner or later! This is all his stupid fault!"

The men just gaped at Rebecca as she paced and ran her hand nervously through her dark wavy hair.

"Woah, woah, just calm down there, Catalina," Havoc said, standing and putting his hands in front of him in a placating manner.

Rebecca glared and pointed at Havoc.

"You! You're no better than that idiot, Mustang!"

Havoc glowered. The woman hadn't changed at all since their academy days.

"Lieutenant Catalina," Falman spoke up in an attempt to assuage Rebecca. "Please, try to remain calm. Lieutenant Hawkeye is fine. She is asleep and will be until at least this evening, according to the doctors. She will make a recovery, but it will take time and if we're all frazzled and upset, that won't be of any help to her."

Rebecca sighed and stared at Falman for a minute before nodding.

"Right, sorry. She's just...She's my best friend, you know? I was just so worried. And I seriously want to know why Mustang isn't here. It's his fault this happened to her, he should at least be here supporting her."

"He was here," Havoc said, crossing his arms and looking at Rebecca pointedly. "He stayed up all night and even refused to leave when we told him to go get some rest. We finally convinced him only about fifteen minutes ago to go home for a while."

Rebecca blinked at Havoc, not quite sure if she believed him or not. She sighed and sat in the chair next to Riza's bed.

"If you say so…" she muttered, finally taking a good look at her friend. "Oh man, Riza," she continued, taking Riza's hand. "You look like shit, girl."

They all chuckled at that, glad that the atmosphere in the room was back to being more relaxed.

"Well, we should probably get back to work," Falman said, gesturing to the door.

"Oh crap, yeah," Havoc said, glancing at the clock on the wall. "I forgot, Grumman wanted me to report on Hawkeye's condition asap."

"Good to see you, Lieutenant Catalina," Fuery smiled, waving politely to the older woman before following Falman out the door.

"See ya, Catalina," Breda said, leaving the room as well, followed closely by Havoc who was still bitter at being indirectly called an idiot, so said nothing as he left.

Breda grinned at Havoc as they walked down the long hallway to the hospital exit. Havoc just glowered at his friend.

"What?" Havoc asked, clearly not amused by whatever had Breda snickering.

"When are you two just going to go out already?"

"What? Who, me and Rebecca?" Havoc looked taken aback, blushing slightly when Breda nodded. "Hell no. She's not my type at all! Besides, I'm pretty sure she hates me almost as much as she hates Mustang, which is quite a damn bit."

"I don't know, you two seem like you get along okay enough."

Havoc scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, man," Havoc shook his head. "Whatever…"

 **000000**

Roy returned to the hospital only a little over an hour later, freshly showered, his hair still slightly damp. He was in civilian clothes, but the hospital staff recognized him and let him through without question. Rebecca had to go back to work and was gone by the time Mustang got to Riza's room so it was once again just the two of them, Hawkeye still sleeping and Mustang sitting by her bed, a worried expression on his face as he gazed down at her.

He stayed by her side until the sun went down, its warm light no longer filtering through the window behind him. Most of the time he remained silent, just watching over her, though he sometimes spoke to her in hushed tones, mostly about the time he spent with her as a teen living under the same roof or about Hughes' wedding or any happy moment he could remember sharing with her.

The moon was nearly at its peak in the sky when a nurse came in and informed Mustang that visiting hours were over and he needed to leave. He refused and they had to practically drag him out of the room and shove him out of the hospital doors. The hospital staff finally gave up trying to keep him out when they found him attempting to scale the wall outside to get to Riza's third story room. There was clearly no way they could keep him from being by Riza's side short of throwing him in jail and the female nurses were against that. Mustang's charm and adorable pout had them all on his side and so Roy got to stay with Riza that night and no one bothered him much after the wall climbing incident.

It was after midnight when Riza began to stir, fingers twitching slightly, her eyes moving behind her eyelids before they slowly opened. Her eyes narrowed in confusion at her surroundings before the memories of the night before came back to her and she bolted upright, or as far up as she could. She groaned quietly as the pain in her chest hit her and her hand lightly clutched at her bandaged sternum. Roy, who had fallen asleep with his head on the mattress next to her shoulder, woke as soon as she sat up and he grabbed her shoulders gently, slowly lowering her back down to a laying position.

"Easy, Hawkeye," he whispered in a calm voice. "You'll open your wound up again if you move too quickly."

"Colonel?" she said, her dry throat making her voice raspy and hoarse. "Wha...What happened?"

The memories of when she was shot were all fuzzy and she couldn't quite remember what were actual events that occurred or things she was just remembering incorrectly.

She looked and sounded like hell, but Roy was filled with such relief and excitement at her finally waking up. It meant she was on her way to recovering. He released her shoulders once she was comfortable again, sitting back down in his seat and leaning toward her in a relaxed position. It was the first time he had truly been able to relax in almost twenty four hours and he suddenly realized just how stiff he was from being so nervous since she had been shot.

"You were shot by someone who was aiming at... me," Roy said, still clearly upset about that part. She had almost died protecting him because he hadn't been paying enough attention. "Do you remember that?"

Riza nodded and Roy continued.

"You passed out before the ambulance arrived. They managed to stop the bleeding and got you here just in time. You'll be fine. It's going to be okay."

He wasn't sure who he was trying reassure, her or himself.

Riza took a deep breath and grunted, face twisting in pain. Breathing too deeply made her chest hurt and Roy gave her a sympathetic look. She sighed.

"At least you're alright," she wheezed, turning her head to the side to try to smile at him, though it ended up looking more like a grimace.

"Yeah," he nodded, opening his arms. "Not a scratch on me, see? I'm fine, so don't worry about me. Just rest and focus on getting better, okay?"

Riza nodded, eyes beginning to droop again. The medicine they had given her was still in effect and her few minutes of consciousness was over too quickly for Roy, who wanted to keep talking with her, needing that added reassurance of her being awake to know she wasn't leaving him behind.

He leaned closer to her as her breathing began evening out again.

"Thank you," he murmured into her ear as she fell asleep, brushing back her bangs and running his hand through her hair gently. "I don't know what I would do without you."

A small smile lit up Riza's face just as sleep claimed her once again.

 **000000**

This took a lot longer to write than I expected. Whoops. Sorry for the wait. World of Warcraft has taken over my life again, but I'm going to try my best to not let the new expansion take all my time away from writing this. Chapters might not come out as fast as they have been though.

Next chapter will be a lot more Royai hurt/comfort. Thanks for reading!


	20. Recovery

For the two weeks that Riza had to stay in the hospital to recover, Roy visited her every morning before work and immediately went to her in the evening after work, making sure to get all his paperwork done on time so he could see her as soon as possible. Sometimes the nurses would even overlook the times when he stayed with her all night, sleeping with his head resting on his folded arms on the side of her bed.

They certainly did not overlook it the second night he tried though. The hospital staff had given him leeway the very first time he stayed the night since he had been nothing but trouble trying to get back to Riza's room, what with the scaling the walls nonsense. But when he refused to leave the next night too, the hospital staff threatened to call his superior officer, General Grumman.

That did not go as well as the staff had hoped. Grumman didn't have much to say on the matter, telling them to leave the colonel be, that it was his order to Mustang that he stay with Hawkeye to make sure she was well guarded in case the people that attacked her came back. The staff didn't need to know that was mostly a lie and they'd never be the wiser that Grumman and Mustang were in cahoots, even without having to communicate anything to each other. Grumman would always support Mustang and vice versa so there was no point in the hospital staff trying to threaten Roy through Grumman.

Grumman had seen the way Roy and Riza looked at each other, and like Madame Christmas, he secretly supported them, hoping they'd realize their feelings and get together sooner rather than later, so of course he had no problems with Mustang wanting to stay with Hawkeye as much as possible while she recovered.

Riza woke that second night to see a familiar mop of black hair on the hospital bed near her shoulder. She smiled softly down at Roy, thankful she had been able to protect him, and tentatively reached to touch his hair. Her fingers barely skimmed the tips of the dark strands when he moved in his sleep and she retracted her hand quickly.

Roy woke up moments later and lifted his head a bit, groaning quietly as he stretched his back. Sleeping while sitting in a chair and leaning to rest his head on the hospital bed wasn't the most comfortable thing. He turned to face Hawkeye and when he saw she was awake, he gave her a tired grin.

"Hey," he said, his voice rough from sleep.

"Colonel," Riza replied and nodded in acknowledgement, her voice just as raspy as his. She glanced around and noticed the time, raising a brow when she looked back at Roy. "How did you manage to convince them to allow you to stay?"

Mustang chuckled and propped his head on his hand, elbow nestled on the mattress at Riza's side.

"I must just have a commanding presence," he replied, to which Riza almost scoffed. "No one can force the king to remain idle when his queen is in danger."

Riza rolled her eyes at that, but a smile tugged her lips up slightly. He was so ridiculous sometimes.

"Oh, I never got a chance to tell you," Roy spoke again. "Remember last week when I mentioned I had to leave your place early because I was expecting a call from Hughes? Well, he was calling to tell me that Gracia is going to have the baby in a couple of months and they want us to be there."

"Really?" Riza said, a small smile adorning her face. "That's wonderful news. But why do they want us there?"

Roy shrugged.

"Don't know, but we should go, so get better soon, okay?"

Riza nodded, moving to get more comfortable, but grimacing when pain shot through her chest.

"I'll try," she sighed, giving up on trying to get comfortable.

They sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying the others' company before RIza spoke again, the smile now gone from her face, replaced with a look of concentration and seriousness.

"Sir," she asked, sounding unsure about what she wanted to say. "Did...Did you…?"

Roy looked at her curiously, wondering why she was hesitating. She rarely hesitated.

"Hm?" he hummed, trying to encourage her to say whatever it was she was attempting to.

Riza stared at him for a few moments before shaking her head.

"Nevermind," she mumbled, turning to face away from him.

"You okay?" Roy asked, his scrutinizing gaze was laced with concern.

"Yes, I'm just tired."

Roy nodded at that.

"Get some sleep then, Lieutenant," he said quietly. "Good night."

"Good night, sir."

Roy folded his arms on her bed and soon they were both fast asleep again.

Riza slept quite a bit the next few days, which the doctors explained was completely normal while her body tried to heal, but after just one week, she was able to get up and walk around her room by herself without being in too much pain, though she still felt faint if she stood for too long. The doctors and her team were all impressed with her progress, but to her, she wasn't healing fast enough. It wasn't that she didn't trust her team to watch Roy's back, but she would feel a lot better if she was back at work resuming her bodyguard duties, and she would continue to feel frustrated that she was stuck in the hospital, until the Drachman arms dealers were caught, anyway.

At least Roy visited her all the time. Being able to see him reassured her that he was still unharmed, which helped alleviate her worries to an extent.

After two weeks, Hawkeye was able to convince the doctors that she was well enough to go home, but she was still ordered not to go back to work for at least another week. She tried to argue that, but Mustang, who had come to pick her up, wouldn't hear it and promised the doctors he'd make sure she stayed home. In fact, he planned to personally make sure she stayed home by visiting her there like he had been at the hospital, morning and night, to help her with things while she continued to recover.

"This is unnecessary, sir," Hawkeye said when she opened the door the morning after Roy had taken her home to find the man standing there, grocery bags in his hands and a grin on his face that was far too cheery for how early it was.

"Nonsense, Lieutenant," Mustang replied, shifting to get a better grip on the grocery bags in his arms. "The doctors said you probably shouldn't even be home on your own right now, but I could tell you were getting antsy having to sit in that hospital room this whole time so I vouched for you. Now am I going to have to stand out here holding these bags all day or will you let me come in?"

Hawkeye sighed and stepped aside to allow the colonel to come into her apartment.

"You didn't have to do this," Hawkeye said, following Mustang into her kitchen where he deposited the bags of groceries.

"I know," he replied softly as he unpacked the bags. "But I wanted to. I don't want you overexerting yourself just to go buy food for the week. I need you to recover as soon as possible so you can come back to work."

Mustang started opening cabinets at random, trying to find where she put her groceries in the small space. Hawkeye sent an exasperated look toward the back of Mustang's head before shuffling over to show him where things went.

"You're not really helping if I have to show you where everything is," she said flatly.

"Sorry," he sighed, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "Look, you don't have to show me where anything is, I can do this myself. You shouldn't be standing for so long. Why don't you go back to bed and I'll make you some breakfast?"

Riza gave him a skeptical look and he glowered at her, stepping forward to grip her shoulders and turn her, gently pushing her in the direction of her room.

"Just go to bed, Hawkeye."

"Sir, this is very unnecessary, I am perfectly capable of…"

Riza was cut off when she suddenly became light headed and stumbled. Mustang caught her shoulder before she fell and smirked knowingly at her.

"You were saying?"

"Oh, please be quiet, sir," she huffed, standing straight again and pulling away from him to begrudgingly following his suggestion to go back to her room.

Riza crawled back into bed, propping herself up with a couple of pillows and pulling the blanket over her lap. The sound of cabinets banging and plates and glasses clinking made her cringe, but she trusted Roy not to destroy her kitchen _too_ much so held herself back from jumping up to yell at him.

Several minutes later, she heard the tea pot whistle, followed a minute later by Roy walking into her room with a tray carrying a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and a cup of tea. She met his gaze and he grinned at her, knowing she too was noticing the role reversal. When he had been an apprentice living in her father's house, she had been the one to make and serve breakfast every morning. Riza couldn't remember any time when Roy had ever cooked a meal when he lived with her father and her, and there was something worrying about him doing it for her now. Did he even know how to cook?

Roy set the tray on her lap and and she thanked him as she took a sip of tea. It was exactly the way she liked it and she gave him a small nod of approval. Roy chuckled at that.

"Just because you make the coffee and tea for the team every morning doesn't mean I don't remember how you like yours," he said, turning to leave her room to make himself some coffee.

"It's still surprising, sir," she deadpanned, taking another sip. "You never seem to remember anything else, like when your paperwork is due, for example."

Roy almost tripped and fell into the door at that.

"You always have to bring work into everything, don't you?"

A tiny playful smirk found it's way to Riza's lips.

"Of course, sir. That's what I'm here for."

Roy sighed theatrically and left the room, muttering something about her being a workaholic and him needing a break every once in awhile. He came back a few minutes later holding a cup of coffee and munching on a piece of toast and plopped himself on the end of Riza's bed, right at her feet.

"Speaking of work, Colonel," Riza said, taking a bite of her eggs that were actually very good. The fact that he could cook surprised her, but she didn't say anything about it as she ate. "Shouldn't you be getting there soon?"

Roy finished off his toast and shook his head.

"Nope, I took the day off since it's your first day home from the hospital. I didn't want you being alone until I knew you could handle things yourself."

Riza sighed and set her fork down roughly.

" _Sir_ ," she said in a harsh tone, making his head snap up to look at her. She was clearly irritated that he would take a day off just to take care of her. "You should _not_ have called in today. I don't need you here. Your work is more important."

Roy stood and practically threw his cup onto her bedside table, nearly dumping coffee everywhere.

"Damn it, Hawkeye," he growled, annoyed that she would consider work more important than herself. She was far more important to him than anything, aside from maybe their goals. It made him angry whenever she said things that made her seem expendable. "It's my fault that you almost died, so just let me help you!"

Hawkeye blinked at him.

"What are you talking about?" The surprise was evident in Riza's voice, though her expression remained the same, serious and calm, showing no signs of the alarm she felt at his words.

"I was an idiot and let my guard down!" he exclaimed angrily. He wasn't mad at her, but at himself, and Riza looked taken aback as he continued his tirade. "I was complaining about the weather when I should have been aware of my surroundings. Instead, I forced you, once again, to be the responsible one and look what happened? You almost died! You shouldn't have had to jump in front of me like that! You shouldn't have had to take a bullet for me!" Roy closed his eyes and growled a sigh, calming himself a bit before looking at her again, his gaze softer. "Helping you recover is the least I can do to repay you for saving my life. Again. Please, just let me do this."

The surprise was now very clear on Riza's face, her mouth hung open slightly as they stared at one another. He blamed himself for her being hurt? But she was his bodyguard, it was her job to do such things. The fool of a colonel shouldn't have been blaming himself for something she did willingly. It was her own decision to put her life on the line for him and she would do it again in a heartbeat. She could see there was no arguing with him though, so she sighed and nodded at him.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, turning away from his gaze. "Thank you for helping to take care of me."

Roy sighed picked up his coffee cup again, sitting back down on her bed by her knees this time.

"Of course," he replied, taking a sip of his coffee. "Now, finish your breakfast. You need to keep up your strength."

Riza nodded, smiling softly as she picked up her fork and resumed eating.

"And Colonel?"

"Hm?"

"Please don't blame yourself for my actions."

They stared into each other's eyes for a few moments before Roy frowned and nodded.

"Alright. As long as you let me take care of you."

"I think that's acceptable."

 **000000**

The kiss they shared when Riza lay dying in Roy's arms had gone undiscussed. On Riza's part, it was mostly because she wasn't sure it actually happened. She had lost a lot of blood and thought it could very well have been a dream while she had been passed out. It wouldn't have been the first time she dreamt of Roy kissing her, though the scenario was vastly different from the other dreams she had had about the subject. Her unasked question on her second night in the hospital had been as close as they had gotten to mentioning it. But because she really wasn't positive it had happened, she chose to refrain from saying anything for fear of embarrassing herself by admitting she had dreamt of him kissing her on more than one occasion.

For Roy, he didn't speak of it because it had been a mindless, near desperate act. The thought of her dying without ever truly knowing how he felt would have tormented him for possibly the rest of his life and, not knowing how to tell her his feelings while he was in such a frantic state, he did the only thing he could think of. He _showed_ her.

But with her surviving and the fraternization laws constantly hovering over them, he didn't want to complicate their relationship, especially with something so potentially dangerous to their goals. He assumed this was the reason she never brought it up either. Riza was always so focused on their work and the future that he was sure she was avoiding the subject so they wouldn't get in trouble. Knowing how much he cared for her, ignoring it was probably the best course of action since he didn't know how well he could keep his emotions in check around her if they admitted their feelings for one another out loud. Just looking at her he could tell she felt the same as he did, but voicing it felt like it would solidify those feelings and they'd never be able to go back to the way they were. Their mannerisms and longing gazes would be a dead giveaway to anyone who noticed.

On the fourth night after she was allowed to leave the hospital, Riza was feeling uncomfortable and grungy, having not bathed since a sponge bath given to her by one of the nurses the morning she left the hospital. She was feeling much better than she had been, so she decided to take a shower on her own.

Undressing wasn't difficult and she slowly pulled off her bandages and looked at the gunshot wound for the first time. It had healed well, but it was still very obvious she had been shot and the wound would definitely leave a small scar at the very least. She avoided touching the area as she showered, her chest still being sore if she put too much pressure on it.

Roy showed up at her place while Riza was in the shower. When he knocked and she didn't answer, he let himself in quickly with the spare key she had given him, worried something had happened to her. He stepped into the apartment and heard the shower running, breathing a sigh of relief at knowing that was why she hadn't answered the door, and he went to her kitchen to make her some dinner. Even though she was seemingly well enough to do things on her own now, he didn't want her doing too much still, being the overprotective person he was, so he planned on continuing to make her breakfast and dinner and doing all he could for her in the time he could visit before and after work.

Riza came walking into the kitchen while Roy cooked, not surprised he was there, having already gotten used to him showing up after work for the past couple of days. Her hair was wet, her feet were bare, and she was dressed in a knee length night shirt, a pink shawl around her shoulders. Roy turned and grinned as she walked in.

She was about to thank him for cooking for her when her foot slid as she stepped onto the tile in the kitchen and she pitched backward. Apparently she was still unsteady on her feet after having been bedridden most of the month. Roy's arms shot out and caught her before she fell, holding her tightly to his chest, arms securely circling her waist. Riza grimaced and grunted quietly in pain at being held so tightly. Roy noticed and loosened his hold immediately, giving her an apologetic look.

"Ah! Sorry, sorry," he stammered, holding her away from him, but still gripping her waist gently.

They stared at one another for a few moments, Roy pursing his lips, dark eyes glancing from her eyes to her lips and back again before he swallowed loudly and spoke.

"You okay?" he muttered.

"Yes, thank you." Riza replied, eyes not leaving his.

Roy nodded and released her almost reluctantly as he helped her back to bed. Riza settled herself in a sitting position, leaning back against her pillows, and Roy tucked the blankets up to her waist to cover her bare legs. An almost awkward silence fell between them with Roy settling himself on the side of her bed and glancing from her face to the floor every few moments. He looked almost nervous about something and Riza stared at him curiously, waiting to see if he'd say what was on his mind for him to be acting so strangely.

"Hawkeye," he finally muttered, turning to face her fully. "I...I wanted to apologize about what I did that night...I...shouldn't have done that, but I thought you were going to die..."

Riza's eyes narrowed, brow furrowing in confusion for a moment before she realized what he was talking about.

"Wait...You mean you really…?"

She couldn't finish her sentence, heat creeping into her face, knowing he was talking about the kiss she thought had just been a dream.

"Yeah..." Roy nodded, having a hard time meeting her gaze. "And I'm sorry, I've made things uncomfortable I think, but I didn't think I'd ever see you again and I...I didn't want any lingering regrets."

"You would have regretted not kissing me?" she asked in a soft voice, eyes widening minutely.

"For the rest of my life."

His response was immediate and firm and it almost made her heart skip a beat. Before she could respond to his unbelievable confession, they both sniffed the air, smelling something burning.

"Oh no, the dinner!" Roy exclaimed, jumping up and running out Riza's bedroom.

It was too late for their dinner by the time Roy got back to the pan and he sighed, running the pan under hot water and rinsing the ruined food down the sink.

"How do you feel about Xingese takeout?" Roy called to Riza while he cleaned up the kitchen.

"Sounds fine to me," she called out her response, chuckling lightly at Roy freaking out over having burned their dinner, and relieved to have a distraction from their potentially problematic conversation.

 **000000**

"So, you'll be coming back to work tomorrow, huh?" Roy asked during dinner on Riza's last night of sick leave.

"Yes," she answered,

"Well, it'll be nice to finally have you back, though, to be honest, I think I'm going to miss coming over here to help you out every day."

Riza smiled lightly at that.

"I think I'll miss it too, sir. I suppose we could always continue those dancing lessons on Friday nights."

Roy looked up at her in surprise.

"Really? I thought you were against me coming over for such frivolous things?"

"Well, perhaps learning to dance isn't as frivolous a skill as I thought," she said flatly. "It might prove useful the next time we're on an undercover mission. My inexperience on the subject was almost a problem the last time."

Roy grinned knowingly at her behind his glass of water. He knew she was just making excuses to try to mask the fact that she enjoyed learning to dance, but he spared her embarrassment and didn't say any more about it.

They cleaned up the dishes together quietly and didn't speak again until Riza walked Roy to the door to see him out.

"Be careful on your way home, sir," Riza said softly.

"I will, Lieutenant. I'll see you tomorrow."

Riza nodded, expecting him to leave, but when he made no move to reach for the door, she gave him a questioning look. He was gazing at her almost nervously again.

"Sir?"

"Lieutenant…" Roy muttered, unsure of how to proceed with what he wanted to ask. "Are we...Um, are we okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, will... what I did a month ago affect anything? I didn't mean for it to ruin our professional relationship and…"

"We're fine, Colonel," Riza interrupted him. "I'll pretend like it never happened, and you should do the same. We can't let something like that get in the way of our goals."

Roy nodded, outwardly seeming to be satisfied with her answer, though inside he was a mess. He didn't really want to pretend like it never happened. He didn't want her to forget about it either. If it weren't for rules and regulations and their future hopes and dreams being at stake, he would have asked if she felt the same and kissed her again and never let her go.

Instead, he acted like it wasn't anything important and would do his best to ignore the unpleasant pang in his gut from having to pretend like he didn't love her.

 **000000**

Wow, this took way longer to write than I thought. Sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter will have potentially more fluff plus Ed coming to take his state alchemist exam. Thanks for reading and see you then.


	21. Confessions

I transcribed a scene directly from the manga here again. You'll know it when you read it. Obviously, the dialogue and situation belong to Arakawa, because if I owned FMA, Roy and Riza would have kissed on the Promised Day. _

 **000000**

The Central train station was bustling with activity as Colonel Mustang, Edward Elric, and Lieutenant Hawkeye disembarked their train. They had come from Eastern because Edward was taking his State Alchemist exam that afternoon and, as the person responsible for recruiting the boy, the colonel was expected to be there.

As his bodyguard, it went without saying that the lieutenant would accompany Mustang.

It had only been a couple of weeks since Hawkeye had returned to work, having mostly healed from the gunshot wound, and Roy wasn't happy that she had come with him. She told him he was being ridiculous with how much he was still fretting over her and assured him she was fine enough to handle a trip to Central. It was her job to watch his back and she refused to listen to his order for her to remain in East City, on the grounds of impracticality. The Drachman arms dealers were still out there somewhere and if they were angry at Mustang for almost catching them during their deal over a month ago, Roy would need to be extra cautious. Going out of town without her was too dangerous and so Roy reluctantly gave up trying to convince her to stay behind.

There would be no time to visit his family on this trip as he, Ed, and Riza had to catch the train back to East City that evening, but Roy hoped he would have a chance to see Hughes. They spoke on the phone almost every day, but getting to actually see his best friend was so much better. Plus, Hughes' calls were usually information exchanges under the guise of him calling to brag about his wife and soon-to-be-born child, though the man did genuinely love to gush, so talking like normal friends was a refreshing change Roy was looking forward to, if they had the time.

By the time Mustang, Hawkeye, and Ed arrived at Central Headquarters, Ed and Roy had to go straight to the exam arena. Riza was not allowed inside due to her rank, so she saluted to Mustang as he left with Ed, then stood outside the door to the arena to wait.

"Yo!" came a familiar cheery voice off to her left, and Riza turned to find Maes Hughes waving and walking her way. He stopped next to her and she saluted. "At ease, Hawkeye. I heard Roy was going to be in town today. I'm a little surprised he let you come with him, though I did have a feeling you'd convince him somehow. How are you feeling? That was quite the ordeal. We were all worried about you."

"I'm feeling fine, lieutenant colonel," Riza said simply. "How is Gracia doing?"

"That's good to hear," Hughes said, face lighting up at the mention of his wife. "And Gracia is doing wonderfully! It's only another month now until she's due! I'm going to be a daddy! I can't wait!" The lieutenant colonel whipped out his wallet that was full of nothing but pictures and shoved it toward Riza. "Look! Isn't Gracia just glowing? You're going to come visit us next month before the baby's born, right?"

Riza smiled at Hughes, his happiness was almost overwhelming, but a welcome diversion from the imposing seriousness of Central HQ.

"Yes, the colonel mentioned that you wanted both of us to be there so I'll be accompanying him."

"Excellent!" Hughes smiled broadly, putting his wallet of photos back into his pocket. "Now, where is Roy?"

"It took us a little longer than expected to get here from the station so we arrived with only a few minutes before Edward Elric's exam was to begin." Riza glanced at the clock on the opposite wall then looked back to Hughes. "Looks like his exam will start shortly."

"Well, I think I can spare some time until he gets out," Hughes said thoughtfully. "Mind if I join you while you wait? And by the way, you're growing your hair out? It looks good!"

Riza smiled lightly at that and laughed to herself. Roy had said the exact same thing just a few days earlier when he noticed it was now almost shoulder length.

"Of course not, sir," she replied, sitting down in one of the chairs lining the wall. "And thank you."

Hughes sat next to her and chatted animatedly about his wife. Riza just listened patiently, finding it almost endearing that he could talk about his family so much. She was genuinely happy for him, that he was able to find such happiness despite the things he had been through and done. Riza didn't think that was something she could do. Happiness wasn't meant for someone like her and she wondered how the man next to her managed to find it within himself to keep up his upbeat and joyful personality all the time.

The door opened next to Riza and the higher ranking officers that had been in attendance at Edward's exam filed out, speaking in alarmed, raised tones about the events that occurred during the exam. Things like "Mustang found that kid? Unbelievable," and "How is a brat like that able to do such a thing?" or "Attacking the Fuhrer like that...Such audacity!" reached Riza and Hughes' ears and they looked at one another before focusing back on the door, waiting for Mustang to walk out.

As soon as he did, Riza saluted and she and Hughes walked up to him.

"They all seemed to be in such a huff," Hughes said. "What happened in there?"

"Was the Fuhrer really there?" Riza added. "Did we hear that correctly?"

"We can talk about it later," Roy said, glancing back at the higher ranking officers who were still within ear shot. "Hughes, it's good to see you."

"Likewise, Roy," Hughes said, grinning as he pulled out his wallet of pictures. "And look! Gracia is looking as marvelous as ever!"

Roy groaned and glared at Hughes, but looked at the pictures anyway and agreed that his friend's wife was indeed looking well.

Roy and Maes spoke for a bit about random things as they walked toward the front of the building where Roy was supposed to meet Ed. When they arrived at the door, Hughes informed them he needed to get back to work and clasped Roy on the shoulder.

"You will be here when the baby is due, right?" Maes asked for what seemed like the fiftieth time.

"Yes, for the last time Hughes, we'll be here," Roy replied, waving his friend off.

"Good. Oh! And before I forget. Those Drachman arms dealers you were tracking ended up in Central and were caught yesterday. So you won't need to worry about them anymore. Thought you'd be happy to know that, considering what happened."

This made both Roy and Riza very relieved, not for themselves, but for each other. They had both been on edge and stressed out since Riza had been shot, though they never expressed this outwardly. Riza was constantly watching her surroundings even more carefully than normal, if that were possible, to ensure no one was hiding in the shadows waiting to try to take out the colonel again. And Roy was being extra cautious everywhere he went so that he wouldn't make the same mistake of not paying attention so Riza wouldn't have to put herself in harm's way for him again.

"That's good to hear," Roy said. "Thanks for letting us know."

"Sure thing," Maes said, turning and waving behind him as he left. "I'll see you next month!"

Mustang smirked at his friend, thankful the man hadn't told him to get a wife like he did almost every time he called, then turned to leave the building, Riza right behind him. They pushed through the glass doors and walked down the main staircase to meet Edward who was waiting for them at the bottom.

"I have to say," Mustang said casually as he, Ed, and Hawkeye walked away from Central Headquarters. "You put on quite a show back there."

"Shut up," Ed snapped. "I should charge you a spectator's fee."

Roy laughed at the young alchemist.

"You're lucky to get out of there alive after pointing a spear at the Fuhrer-President like that, even if it was just a practical joke. If you get your license, you will become a member of the military. But, if there's any doubt of your loyalty to Bradley, your license will be revoked in a second. Be careful."

"I'd say the same thing to you," Ed pointed out, glaring at Mustang, unamused. "When I pointed my spear at the president, you didn't react at all. You just sat there. Hardly the reaction of a loyal subordinate."

Mustang stared at Edward, dumbfounded, then turned to Hawkeye, pointing at Ed.

"Did you hear that?" Mustang said to Hawkeye. "Unbelievable…"

Riza sighed.

"Colonel," she said, exasperation in her tone. "In those kinds of situations, you should at least _act_ like you're worried."

"Too bad," Roy said thoughtfully, seeming to ignore Riza's reprimand. "If you _had_ done away with Bradley back there, it would have opened a position for me."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Ed shouted in disbelief, then grinned maliciously. "What a juicy bit of gossip. Maybe I should snitch on you to military command."

Roy just laughed, clearly unphased by his threat.

"And where would _that_ get you?" he said, then smirked. "Besides, I've got some dirt of my own."

Edward shot Mustang a quizzical look.

"Huh?"

"'Do not create humans, do not create gold, swear absolute loyalty to the military.'" Roy quoted, turning to Ed. "Those are the three rules a State Alchemist must _never_ break. Even though the process was incomplete, you guys did try to transmute a human being. If that were to come to light, your career would be over before it started." Roy's smirk grew almost cold toward Ed and the boy grew angry as the colonel continued. "And your brother might even be sent to the lab for study. Do you understand, squirt? You keep your past a secret and accept the license as if nothing happened. And my own stock will rise for finding such a talented alchemist."

Ed practically growled at Mustang for suggesting anything happen to Al and stopped walking, staring after the colonel in disbelief and astonishment.

"As long as your little secret stays under wraps, we both win." Roy added, continuing to walk with Riza just behind. "So don't get any funny ideas."

"WHY YOU LOUSY-!" Ed began to yell, but was cut off by Mustang laughing at him.

"You've still got a week until they announce your results, so just go back to East City and relax while you wait."

Roy and Riza continued on down the path away from Central HQ, leaving a fuming Edward behind. The boy had his train ticket and if he was so angry that he didn't want to be around Mustang, then he could find his own way back to the train station.

"Did you really need to threaten him like _that_?" Hawkeye asked quietly once they were far enough away that Ed wouldn't hear.

"What? He threatened me first! I was just blackmailing the blackmailer. Equivalent exchange. If he really ever did inform the upper brass of my reaction, or lackthereof, toward the Fuhrer being threatened, everything we're working toward would've been destroyed. I couldn't let that happen, even if I had to be petty and cruel to a child."

Riza didn't respond to that, agreeing with him, but still uncertain if he had to use _that_ cruel of a threat against the boy. Using Ed's little brother as leverage was pretty low.

 **000000**

Hawkeye and Mustang found themselves a ride back to the train station and arrived early, standing on the platform to wait for their train back to East. The station was much less crowded than it had been a few hours earlier so they guessed their train home would be less crowded as well. Sure enough, when the train pulled up minutes later, Roy and Riza were among only a dozen or so others that boarded the train. They took a seat in one of the cars toward the back and Riza kept glancing out the window to look for Ed, wondering if the boy would make it on time.

Ed arrived only minutes before the train was to leave, flopping breathlessly into a seat several benches behind Mustang and Hawkeye. He had run the entire way there from Central Headquarters and he was sweaty and tired because of it.

The rest of the car was empty as the train pulled away from the station, so it would be a nice and quiet ride back to East City with only them in one train car, a fact which all three of them were happy about.

About an hour into their three hour train ride, Ed stood and stomped passed Roy and Riza, grumbling something about being hungry and going to get some food, leaving Roy and Riza alone in the train car.

"He's an awfully grumpy child, isn't he?" Mustang chuckled after Ed had left.

"Well, sir, he _is_ only twelve and a lot has happened to him," Hawkeye reasoned.

Mustang nodded and frowned at Riza.

"Yeah...I know."

A few minutes passed before Roy spoke again.

"Hey, lieutenant?" he asked quietly, gazing at Riza intently.

Riza turned her attention back to him, waiting for him to continue. Roy paused for a moment before shaking his head and turning to look out the window.

"Forget it," he grumbled, making Riza give him a curious look.

Roy could feel her eyes still on him and he looked back at her, meeting her gaze. They stared at each other for a while before a curious look overcame Roy's features and he slowly leaned forward in his seat towards her. Riza didn't realize what he was doing until his lips were on hers and her eyes widened in surprise.

The kiss was gentle and warm, but didn't last for long before he pulled back to gauge her reaction. He didn't know why he kissed her, the moment just felt right. He had found himself often thinking about kissing her again ever since the day she had been shot, wanting to do it properly, and not just because he was a desperate fool in a panicked state of mind.

But, when Riza just quietly stared at him, wide eyed, lips slightly parted, he began to fidget and worry that he had been reading her wrong the whole time. He thought she felt the same way he did, but what if she didn't see him that way? Had he just pushed his feelings on her and complicated their relationship again because he foolishly misinterpreted her?

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, looking away from her in embarrassment, fumbling over his words and unable to form complete sentences. "I don't know why I did that… I thought...I just…I'm sorry."

"Colonel," Riza said softly, and Roy turned to look at her again. She no longer looked surprised, but instead had a light blush on her cheeks, though she tried to hide it behind her stern demeanor. "I…"

Riza didn't get a chance to speak before the door to their train car opened harshly and Edward returned with a sandwich in his hand, chomping away as he slammed the door behind him and shuffled back to his seat, not even looking at Mustang and Hawkeye.

Roy and Riza both sighed and looked from Ed to each other again. Their conversation would have to wait until they got back to East.

That conversation never did come up though as the three of them parted ways at the East City train station two hours later. Riza drove Roy home, which gave them plenty of time to say something about what happened on the train, but it seemed like neither of them knew how to bring it up, both too nervous about the situation, and the consequences it could have, for them to even mention it. When they arrived at Roy's apartment, they both exited the car, Riza handing the keys to Roy saying she would walk the fifteen minutes to her own apartment because she could use the exercise and fresh air. Roy didn't argue, telling her to be careful as she left.

 **000000**

Work was almost monotonous the next day due to a surprising lull in paperwork that required immediate attention. Most of the team was slacking off more than usual, with the exception of Hawkeye and Fuery who always managed to find something to work on even on days where there wasn't a pressing need to get things done.

With nothing to do, Mustang found he couldn't stop glancing over at Hawkeye, which wasn't really anything new, but the sheer number of times his eyes slid over to admire her profile was definitely out of the ordinary. Thankfully, no one else really noticed, either too busy doodling or napping to bother looking at what their colonel was up to.

As a result of the lack of things to do, the team filed out for lunch much earlier than they should have, dragging Fuery along with them despite his complaints about needing to fix a radio for the secretary office by that afternoon. This left Roy and Riza alone in the office, something which Roy took note of immediately, though Riza never looked up from the paperwork she had been going over all morning. The paperwork on her desk was for the next day, but, knowing her colonel would slack off, she had decided to get a head start so they wouldn't get behind on things.

Riza wasn't a fool. She had felt Roy's eyes on her all day and deliberately didn't divert her attention from her work so she could avoid the look she knew she would find if she met his dark gaze. Burying herself in tomorrow's paperwork was the only thing she could think of to avoid something potentially dangerous to their jobs. Unfortunately, that plan was about to backfire as Roy hadn't looked away from her since the rest of the team left. She sighed quietly, deciding she needing to find him something to do so neither of them would be distracted by the other.

Hawkeye stood from her chair and grabbed a stack of paperwork that needed signing and walked it over to the side of Mustang's desk, dropping it in front of him, doing her best to avoid meeting his eyes the entire time. Mustang was quick to notice her deliberate aversion to looking at him and he attempted to move into her line of sight to give her a questioning look. When he managed to finally meet her eyes, he was met with a look that mirrored his own, one full of affection and longing.

It wasn't clear who moved first, but they met each other halfway in a soft and gentle kiss, much like the one they shared on the train the day before, Roy's fingers weaving through Riza's hair and Riza gripping his shoulders lightly.

They pulled away, both gazing at each other with adoration, just as the team walked back in carrying trays of food. No one seemed to notice the way their superiors were looking at each other which gave Riza enough time to turn away from Roy and retreat back to her desk without anyone really seeing just how close she had been to the colonel.

The rest of the week went by in much the same manner, with Roy pulling Riza into dark corners to kiss her during working hours or stealing kisses when the others weren't in the office. Both of them were unable to hide their feelings for the other any longer and as the days wore on, their kisses grew increasingly more passionate.

A discussion about what was going on between them never happened. Neither felt like anything needed to be said. They knew how they felt about one another. They knew it was dangerous. They knew the consequences of being found out and they both felt like they didn't deserve the happiness they received by being in each other's arms, but they couldn't stop their outpouring feelings either. So instead, they continued with their clandestine trysts in the dark and never spoke about it, as if saying anything would solidify it and make it real, like it was all just some vivid dream until it was brought up.

The week went by in a blur and on Friday, the day Edward Elric's license and title came in, no kisses were shared, as they were too busy to even find a second to spare for anything other than work, until the day was finally over and Riza walked home, Roy having to stay later than the rest in order to give Edward his State Alchemist paperwork.

Riza had just finished dinner and was quietly reading a book later that evening when a knock at her door made her look up in surprise. It was quite late and she didn't think Roy would actually show up that day for her weekly dancing lessons since he had to stay late to finish paperwork and give the Elric boy his license, but she didn't know who else it would be at such an hour. She set her book down and went to open the door, finding her colonel in his usual inconspicuous casual attire for when he walked to her place, hands in his pockets, looking almost uncomfortable being there.

He looked up at her, expression serious.

"I would say I'm here to give you dancing lessons," he began with a sigh. "But actually...we need to talk."

And there it was. Confirmation that what had been happening that week had been real and not just delusions between two people in love but unable to express it because of who they were. Riza nodded stiffly and let Roy in.

"Yes, we do," she agreed quietly, closing and bolting her door once Roy entered her apartment, shedding his coat and hat and draping them over one of the chairs in the kitchen.

Before Roy could say anything, she spoke again, voice firm and determined.

"We can't keep doing this," she said bluntly, facing him head on, hoping he'd agree with her. "It's too dangerous."

Roy frowned and stepped toward to her.

"I disagree," he said, speaking just as firmly as she did, leaving no room for argument, though that never stopped Riza from trying. "I want this to continue."

" _Sir_ ," she said, unwilling to let her resolve waver. She would never forgive herself if what she felt for him ended up costing him his dreams for a brighter future. "There's too much at stake if we're caught. The fraternization laws…"

She didn't finish her sentence as Roy interrupted her.

"It's not fraternization if no one knows," he joked, smirking and taking another step toward her. "I can't keep hiding the way I feel about you," he continued, growing serious again. "I want to be with you. We'll keep things a secret. We're good at that, acting and keeping secrets. We've been doing it since you gave me flame alchemy..."

Riza frowned, feeling her determination slipping at his argument.

"But what if we're caught?" she argued, but only half heartedly, turning away from him. "I can't...I'd never live it down if I knew I was the reason you couldn't achieve your goals."

Roy finally stepped close to her, stopping in front of her and lifting her chin so she was forced to look at him.

"That's not going to happen," he said, smiling softly. "I trust you. We'll keep what's between us a secret and we won't show our affections in the office anymore."

Riza took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the trust and admiration in his eyes undoing her the longer she held his gaze.

She closed her eyes and finally nodded, desperately wanting what he was offering just as much as he did.

With that, they leaned into each other and sealed their romantic arrangement with a kiss.

 **000000**

Whoo, I had no idea how to end this chapter so sorry if it's really dumb and cheesy sounding. Lol

If you couldn't tell by now, I love romantic tension to the point that sometimes when a couple gets together in a story, I almost lose interest in that pairing. But I felt like it was time to get more serious Royai action going on so voila. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading!


	22. Trailing The Fullmetal Alchemist

Thank you to everyone for the faves, alerts, and all your kind reviews. You guys give me the motivation to keep writing. Without you, these chapters probably wouldn't get written as I tend to lose motivation very easily. lol

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One week after getting his license, The Fullmetal Alchemist was expected to begin working for the military and the first thing he did was scour the archives at East Headquarters for information, pouring over as many books and documents as he could, writing down things he deemed important into his journal. By the end of the week, he had been through everything East City had to offer and was no closer to figuring out a way to get Alphonse and his bodies back to normal. The boy grumbled as he shuffled into Mustang's office, Alphonse clanking behind him.

All of Mustang's team had gone home for the evening except for Roy and Riza, who were trying to finish the paperwork that Roy had put off during the week.

Mustang took one look at Edward as the boys walked in and he could tell they hadn't had any luck with the information available in East. Roy, wanting to help the Elrics in his own way, took it upon himself to make sure they would never be sent on any military tasks that wouldn't be helpful to the them and their mission. Instead, he would make a suggestion to them that would possibly yield better results than East Headquarters had.

"Still haven't found anything helpful, eh Fullmetal?"

Edward growled and flopped onto one of the couches in Mustang's office, Alphonse taking a seat on the other.

"Yeah," he muttered. "You told me that joining the military would give me access to a ton of information, but there wasn't anything useful here."

"East Headquarters doesn't have very extensive archives," Mustang agreed, leaning forward in his chair and resting his arms on his desk, fingers laced together.

"Then why didn't you…!"

Roy cut Edward off before he could begin shouting.

" _That's why_ you should perhaps try going to Central," Mustang continued, ignoring Edward's huffs and grumbles. "You're not limited to East City, you know. The archives in Central are quite large and I'll bet you could find something of value there."

Edward looked up thoughtfully at Roy, not sure why he hadn't realized that. He had just figured he was stuck in East since he was assigned to work directly under Mustang. But if Mustang was giving him leeway, he'd take it and run.

"Hear that Al?" Ed grinned, turning to his brother who nodded. "I think a trip to Central is in our near future! Let's go."

Ed jumped up and hurried out the door, Alphonse apologizing for his brother's rudeness and thanking the colonel before following.

"That was nice of you," Hawkeye said once the boys had gone.

Mustang casually leaned back in his chair.

"I was simply pointing out the obvious that those boys apparently hadn't realized yet."

Riza sent him a knowing smirk before turning back to the paperwork in front of her, wanting to get home sometime before midnight. Being distracted like Roy was not going to help.

"Do we really need to finish this stuff tonight, Lieutenant?" Roy muttered as he attempted to go back to work as well, but couldn't really concentrate. It was Friday, their dinner and dancing night, and he didn't want to give that up because of some lousy paperwork. "I have a date tonight that I don't want to miss."

"You should have thought of that when you were slacking off during the week, sir," she said, sending him a glare. "A date is no excuse to not get your work done."

Riza wasn't about to let him off the hook, even if said date _was_ with her.

Roy sighed in defeat, picking up his pen and hurrying back to work before she somehow found more paperwork to throw at him.

 **000000**

"Are you really okay with sending those kids to Central by themselves?" Riza asked as she and Roy ate a very late dinner at her place.

"He's a State Alchemist now, so those sorts of things are expected of him... You're right though, I suppose not," Roy said, then smirked. "But we have to be out there anyway for when Gracia has the baby so I figured we'd follow Fullmetal and keep on eye on them while visiting with Hughes. Two birds with one stone."

Hm…" Riza hummed thoughtfully. "You're not planning on telling them."

It wasn't a question. She knew him so well. Roy just grinned and continued eating.

"If they discover us, we'll have a reason for being there."

Riza just shook her head, finishing her dinner, then stood to clear the table. Roy helped her wash the dishes they had used and sighed as he looked at the time.

"It's so late, I guess we'll forgo the dancing lessons tonight," he said, disappointment evident in his tone.

"And whose fault is that, I wonder," Riza deadpanned.

Roy gave Riza a sheepish grin at her teasing.

"I know, I know," he sighed. "I won't let it happen next week though."

Riza almost scoffed and couldn't hide the small smirk that tugged at her lips.

"Mm hmm…"

"I mean it," he said, frowning in mock indignation. "I'd much rather spend time dancing with you than doing paperwork."

"I'll hold you to that then," she said, a small knowing smirk still on her face.

"You're so mean," he muttered playfully, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her to him to kiss her forehead. "So what are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Hm, probably just grocery shopping in the morning," she said, looking away from him in thought.

"Well, maybe I'll just happen to run into you. Who knows, I might be in the neighborhood at roughly the same time. Not on purpose, of course."

"Of course."

Roy smirked and leaned in to kiss her.

"I'll see you later then, Lieutenant," Roy said, reluctantly pulling away from her to grab his coat and hat. "Don't forget, our train for Central leaves early on Monday."

"I remember," she said, walking with him to her door. "Be careful on your way home, Colonel."

Roy sent her a soft smile before opening the door and walking out into the cool evening air.

 **000000**

Roy and Riza took a train to Central that left early Monday morning so they could avoid being seen by the Elric brothers whose train left later that day. They knew Ed would be upset if he found out they were following him to make sure nothing happened to him and Al and they didn't want to end up on the receiving end of another one of the boy's tirades.

It wasn't unusual that adults would be worried about a couple of kids venturing alone into a very large city they didn't know well and Roy had even informed Madame Christmas of when the Elric brothers would be in Central so her girls could keep an eye out for them too. Ed was a kid that thought he was already grown up and he would be angry if he knew his superior officer was treating him like a child. Considering the things that had happened to him, Ed _was_ pretty mature for his age, but the reality was that he was still just a kid and his naivety about the world could cause problems for him if he wasn't careful. So Roy and Riza took it upon themselves to be the guardians of the Elric brothers behind the scenes.

The train ride to Central was rather quiet, but the silence between Roy and Riza was not uncomfortable. They sat across from each other, as they always did on train trips, but Roy would occasionally move his leg so his foot would "accidentally" brush up against Riza's ankle and Riza would pretend not to notice, but Roy caught her raising a brow at him a few times or trying to hide a smile at his antics.

Hughes was waiting at the train station to pick them up as soon as they disembarked and the man began gushing about his wife immediately. She was at home preparing a delicious lunch and he demanded they come over to eat and wouldn't take no for an answer. Roy and Riza had arrived in Central over two hours before the Elric brothers were to arrive so they had plenty of time to settle into their hotel rooms and have lunch with Hughes and Gracia before they needed to check up on the boys and make sure they arrived at their hotel safely.

Maes dropped them off at their hotel and wanted to help them up to their rooms with their luggage, but they insisted they could handle it themselves. They needed to change out of their uniforms anyway and Roy told him that it would be more than enough if he could wait for them at the car.

"Right then," Hughes said, leaning against the hood on his car. "See you in a few. If you're not back here in ten minutes I'm coming in to find you. I'm not letting you get out of coming to lunch. Gracia is making one of her amazing apple pies for dessert and it's the best thing you'll ever eat!"

"Yeah, yeah," Roy said, waving his friend off as he and Riza turned to enter the hotel. "We'll be back in a bit."

Checking in went smoothly and they found their rooms with no trouble, adjoining of course. They unlocked the door that connected their rooms, then went about changing out of their uniforms. Roy finished changing first and went to poke his head into Riza's room to ask if she was ready to go. He opened the door just enough to stick his head partway through the doorway so he could speak.

"Hey Lieutenant, you ready to…"

Roy trailed off as his eyes landed on the mirror on the dresser across the room. He couldn't see Riza from the angle he was at, but he saw her reflection in the mirror and it made his mood darken. She was turned away from the mirror and hadn't yet put her shirt on so her back was completely revealed except for the small areas her bra covered. The scars and tattoo were bared before him once again and he frowned. Would his reaction to seeing her scars always be this way, full of hurt and regret?

Roy stepped into her room.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing, sir?" she asked, mostly in jest since her back wasn't anything he hadn't seen before so she wasn't really all that offended, but when she turned to look over her shoulder at him to scold him by saying something about how gentlemen shouldn't just go walking into a lady's room, she stopped herself.

He was walking toward her, eyes fixed on the scars on her back, his expression almost unreadable, but she could see the remorse and sadness there. She felt a tightening in her chest from just looking at his face riddled with such emotion and she wanted to hold him and tell him it was all right, but before she could do anything, he approached her and raised his hand to lightly caress her scars and rendered her speechless again. His face fell even more once he touched her and then, without warning, he quickly moved to wrap his arms around her and rested his forehead on her shoulder above her scars, his breath warming her skin as he whispered apologies.

Riza sighed and leaned into his embrace for a moment before turning slowly in his arms to wrap her own around him, kissing his forehead then resting her head against his shoulder. His hold on her tightened and he buried his nose in the crook of her neck.

"How many times am I going to have to tell you to stop blaming yourself?" Riza whispered through a sigh.

Roy said nothing and continued to hold her, his thumb tracing small circles on her lower back, a gesture that seemed to comfort both of them as Roy began to relax in Riza's arms. He nuzzled her neck then pulled back slightly, making her lift her head from his shoulder to look at him. His eyes were still full of pain, but she could tell her words had broken through to some extent as he met her gaze with more warmth than had been there only minutes ago.

His eyes darkened the more they stared at each other and his breath began to quicken slightly before he leaned in and captured her lips in a firm kiss, insistent, like he was seeking comfort from her, reassurance that she really was fine, that she wasn't going to leave him, that he hadn't destroyed her when he ruined her back. She poured all her feelings into returning his kiss, understanding the comfort he was seeking and trying to send it to him through the warmth of her kiss and the gentleness of her touch.

They didn't know how long this went on, wrapped in each other until their kisses became almost rough, but soon the dour mood had been all but forgotten as they lost themselves in one another.

A loud banging on the door to Roy's room jolted them out of their passion fueled haze and Roy growled, obviously very annoyed at the interruption.

"Hey, Roy!" Hughes shouted from the other side of Roy's room's door. "It's been over fifteen minutes! You ready to go yet?!"

Roy sighed, slowly and reluctantly releasing Riza.

"Guess I better get that before he breaks the door down," Roy muttered, trying valiantly not to look at the way Riza's cheeks were slightly flushed or how her lips were red and swollen. If he stared at her too long with her looking like that, he would probably run back into her arms and ignore Hughes and the Elric brothers for the rest of the week. "And sorry, I didn't mean to walk in on you when you were changing. I'll let you finish, just come into my room when you're done."

Roy practically stomped over to his room then, shutting the connecting door behind him while yelling at Hughes that he would be right there. Once the door was closed, Riza let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, touching her lips lightly, blush deepening. Their kisses had never been that intense before. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and went to put her shirt on quickly, needing to distract herself before she thought too deeply about how good it felt to be in his arms.

 **000000**

The week in Central was almost over, it was the day before Gracia's due date, and the Elric brothers seemed to be nowhere closer to finding the kind of information they were looking for.

It ended up being a rather uneventful week after that first day. Roy and Riza spent most of their days trailing the Elrics to and from the main archives at Central HQ, but they made sure to spare some time to visit with Maes and Gracia, and they even had a chance to meet up with Madame Christmas to talk and to meet the new girls she had taken under her wing, one of whom took a quick liking to Roy, who smiled and was as charming as ever while not actually touching the girl or trying to lead her on. Riza hadn't really payed attention to the girl flirting with Roy even though Roy seemed to enjoy the attention. She trusted him and understood his game. He wasn't the type to betray her.

Roy overheard his sisters talking to the new girl just before he and Riza left, telling her not to bother because it was obvious he had 'Elizabeth', to which the new girl whined and wanted to know who this 'Elizabeth' was. It made Roy grin as he left the bar, shooting an affectionate glance at Riza who, having not heard the conversation, was puzzled about what he found so amusing.

It was before noon two days before they were scheduled to head back to East City when Roy got a phone call at his hotel room from a seemingly frantic and overexcited Maes telling him Gracia had gone into labor a little earlier than expected.

"Who was that?" Riza asked, sticking her head into Roy's room while she dried her hair with a towel as she had just gotten out of the shower when she had heard Roy on the phone.

"It was Hughes," he said, standing to get ready to leave. "Gracia's having the baby and he sounded overwhelmed. I'm going to go keep him company and try to calm him down."

Riza laughed lightly.

"Good luck with that."

Roy grinned.

"Thanks, I'll need it," he replied, chuckling. "You should continue to keep an eye on the Elrics while I'm gone. Meet me at the hospital when you can."

"Yes, sir," Riza replied, saluting then going back to her room to finish getting ready for the day once Roy left.

An hour later found Riza trailing Ed and Al from their hotel to the archives at Central Headquarters. After picking out a bunch of books from different rooms, the boys holed themselves up in the same private room they had been for the past week so they could study without interruption. Riza, figuring they wouldn't recognize her out of uniform, decided to get a little closer to them than she and Roy had been getting during the week. It was hard to disguise Roy without it being obvious and the boys would have recognized him instantly, so without him, she felt a little better about getting so close to them. She entered the private study room directly next to them and got comfortable at the table, pulling out a book of her own to read. The room's walls were thick, but not thick enough to hide the occasional yelp of excitement from Ed next door when he thought he'd found something that was potentially helpful or the growl of frustration when he wasn't finding anything useful. It was kind of cute and Riza couldn't help but smile a few times, imagining Ed throwing books and papers around when he hadn't come across any good information for a while. He was a lot like Roy in that way.

A few hours of this went by before a very loud exclamation of excitement sounded from the other side of the wall and it made Riza look up curiously. They must have found something exceptionally interesting because a couple of minutes later, Riza heard the door to their room slam open and the boys hurried out. She stood quickly and followed them, noticing that there indeed was an almost excited bounce to Ed's step. Whatever they found, it must have been good.

The boys checked out a couple of books without too much trouble, only receiving disbelieving and questioning looks when the woman behind the counter discovered a boy so young was a state alchemist, and left Central HQ in a rush. Riza kept up with them until they disappeared into their hotel, at which point her orders from the colonel were complete and she turned to head to the hospital, wondering if Gracia had the baby yet.

 **000000**

Well, I've just been in the mood for all sorts of gratuitous shippy fanservice lately. I was not expecting half of this chapter to just be fluff, but there it is… That's also why this took so long to write. I just wanted to write fluff and romance and the story parts were fighting me. I guess this is going to be kind of a two parter since I was going to include some stuff about Roy and Riza meeting baby Elicia and such, but it's been a week since I last posted anything so I decided to just post what I had. So expect a lot of super cute things next chapter.

And I just wanted to say, to the reviewer that asked if I was going to be writing more: you bet I am. This fic is about a quarter of the way finished. Well, maybe more like a third. You can think of this fic as being in three parts, even though I am keeping it all to a single fic. But these first chapters are pre-series, I then plan to write all of FMA canon from the viewpoint of Roy and Riza, and then I plan to wrap it up with the events that take place after FMA concluded.

Anyway, sorry for long author note. Thanks for reading, see you next chapter.


	23. Promise

Just wanted to say thank you so much for all your reviews. You guys are the best. I'm so flattered at how much you like my fic. *bows*

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By the time Hawkeye arrived at the hospital, Gracia already had the baby and was recuperating in a private room. Gracia was asleep and Maes was holding the newborn, snuggling her affectionately, and when Riza walked in, he flashed her the biggest grin she had ever seen. Roy, who was standing next to Maes, sent her a smile as she approached.

"Hawkeye," Hughes said, still grinning like the happiest man in the world. "I'd like you to meet Elicia."

Riza smiled softly at the bundle in Hughes' arms.

"Congratulations," she said, looking up at Hughes with the same smile she had just given Elicia.

Hughes beamed at Riza.

They all turned when they heard a light laugh to find Gracia was awake and giving Maes a tired smile. He returned her smile affectionately and placed baby Elicia in her mother's arms.

"Thank you both for coming," Gracia said, smiling warmly at Elicia then looking up at Roy and Riza.

"Now that you're both here, there's something we'd like to ask you," Hughes added.

Gracia and Maes exchanged a glance.

"Neither of us have any siblings," Gracia began, turning back to Roy and Riza. "So we were wondering…"

Gracia looked back to Maes, wanting him to be the one to ask such an important question.

"Getting right to the point… Would you two be Elicia's unofficial Aunt and Uncle?" he asked, glancing from Roy to Riza. "You're the closest to siblings either of us has and we'd be honored if you said yes. Of course, we realize it's kind of asking a lot. In the event anything should happen to us, we would like to entrust Elicia to you."

The surprise on Roy and Riza's faces when they exchanged a look must have been obvious because Hughes let out a hearty laugh.

"Of course," Roy said after a moment, still in a bit of shock at what his best friend was asking. "I'd be honored."

"I don't know what to say…" Riza said when Hughes turned to her for her response. She didn't know what she had done to earn their trust. Roy was Hughes' best friend. They were like brothers and she didn't know how she fit into that. Sure she and Hughes were friends, had been since Ishval, but she wasn't nearly as close to him as Roy was, so she was confused as to why Maes and Gracia would ask her to be such an important person in their child's life. "Wouldn't one of your actual family members be a more suitable choice?"

"Roy is like family to me," Maes began in an attempt to assure her that she was the right choice as far as he was concerned. "And since you're almost like family to Roy, it just makes sense that the two of you would be our first choice for something like this. You're both reliable, trustworthy, and kind. We couldn't ask for two better people."

"It's absolutely fine," Gracia added. "We wouldn't have asked both of you if we didn't mean it."

"Well, then, if you're sure, I'd be honored as well," Riza finally said, nodding at Maes.

"Great!" Maes exclaimed, grabbing Roy and Riza in a tight hug.

Roy and Riza exchanged a look over Maes' shoulders. This hadn't been what they were expecting when Hughes told them he wanted them to be there when the baby was born, but it wasn't exactly an unwelcome thing either. It would bring them all a lot closer and it was a nice change for Riza to feel so accepted.

"Now then," Maes grinned, stepping back. "How about we let Gracia and Elicia get some rest while we get some dinner?"

"Sounds good to me," Roy replied, returning his friend's grin.

 **000000**

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?!" Ed yelled, pointing at Roy after discovering the colonel and lieutenant following him the next day. "Unlike you, Colonel Bastard, I don't need someone to babysit me all the time."

Roy frowned the boy.

"For your information, Fullmetal, my lieutenant does not 'babysit' me. And as for being here, my best friend's wife just had a baby so we were visiting. Honestly, I didn't want to run into _you_ either."

Ed blinked a couple of times then slowly lowered his arm, jamming both hands into his pockets and looking away while pouting.

"Oh," he mumbled, still annoyed that the colonel was there, but realizing he had jumped to conclusions too quickly.

Of course, Mustang and Hawkeye had indeed been following the brothers, but what Ed didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Brother," Al said, leaning down to talk quietly to Ed, though Roy and Riza could still hear him. "You should apologize for misunderstanding and getting angry."

Ed growled and frowned, not wanting to apologize to the colonel.

"Fine," he grumbled finally after a glaring at Al and stalling for a while.

He turned to Mustang and Hawkeye, hands still in his pockets and an annoyed pout on his face, mumbling an apology that was barely above a whisper.

"What was that?" Roy asked, a cheeky grin on his face. "I didn't quite catch that."

Riza wanted to smack him for being such an ass to a child.

"I said," Ed growled through grit teeth. "I'm. Sorry."

With that, the little blond alchemist turned and stomped off.

"Ah! Brother!" Al turned to Mustang and Hawkeye and bowed a little. "I'm sorry colonel, lieutenant." he stammered quickly before hurrying after his brother.

Roy chuckled as he watched the Elric's walk off.

"Do you always have to bait him?" Riza asked, an expression somewhere between amusement and annoyance on her face.

"He starts it every time, Lieutenant," Roy argued. "I wouldn't pick on him so much if he wasn't so hot headed all the time. Hopefully we won't run into them like that again on this trip..."

As it turned out though, Roy and Riza ended up eating lunch at the same place the boys did, so, due to Riza and Al's suggestion, they sat at the same table in the little cafe, Ed slurping his drink loudly as he glared at Mustang who seemed to be casually flirting with the waitress. Riza, eyes closed, sipped at her iced tea far more quietly than Ed, used to the colonel's womanizing act, and Al sat with his hands in his lap, looking a bit awkward and nervous because of how his brother was acting toward his superior officer.

When the waitress had gone to put their order in, Roy turned back to Ed and Al, folding his arms on the table.

"So, did you end up finding what you were looking for out here?" Roy asked casually.

"Yeah, not like you care," Ed replied, still glowering at the colonel.

"Oh, but I do, Fullmetal," Roy replied, lips turning up in a small grin. "Besides, I'm your superior officer, so I could just order you to talk about it."

Ed huffed and sat back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We found some good information about a thing called the Philosopher's Stone. Sounds like it can be used to amplify transmutations and stuff. It could be our ticket to fixing our bodies."

"The Philosopher's Stone?" Roy said skeptically, cocking an eyebrow curiously. "That fairytale legend? I hate to tell you, kid, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist."

"That's where you're wrong!" Ed said, smirking and leaning forward in his seat. "What we found proves it definitely exists and we're going to find it."

"Hm," Roy said, still not quite believing the kid, but not wanting to argue further. "Well, good luck with that then."

"We don't need your luck, because we're going to find it for sure, just you wait."

 **000000**

Back in East City, it was Friday night, a few days after they returned from Central, and Riza was busily making dinner for herself and Roy, waiting for her colonel to show up some time soon. It was raining out, the thunder loud and occasionally rattling the windows of her small apartment. She just put the finishing touches on dinner when the phone rang and she wiped her hands on her apron before answering.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Lieutenant!" came Roy's overly cheery voice. "I'm glad I caught you at home. I just wanted to let you know that something came up and I won't be able to stop by to pick up those documents tonight. Just give them to me on Monday."

Riza understood the underlying meaning in his words and wondered what had happened that was preventing him from joining her that evening. Curious, she decided to press the subject, just in case he was in trouble and needed help.

"Ah, I'll do that then, sir. The rain _is_ coming down awfully hard out there..."

"I'd have come even in this storm, but I met someone from the office that I hadn't spoken to in a while so I decided to catch up with him."

So he had been caught coming to her place by someone they worked with but didn't speak to very often? That could have been bad and he was smart not to continue his trek to her home.

"Always finding excuses not to do your work I see. Well, it can't be helped I guess. Good night then, Colonel."

"Sorry about this," he replied, genuinely disappointed that he wouldn't get to see her and inwardly cursing himself for being recognized on the street. "Good night Lieutenant. See you on Monday."

The line went dead and Riza placed the receiver down slowly and sighed. It was still fairly early. Maybe she could go to the gym at headquarters after dinner and get some extra exercise in if she wasn't going to be dancing with Roy that night. It would probably help take her mind off her disappointment at the very least.

 **000000**

Roy arrived back home sopping wet and annoyed at the night's turn of events. He had been careless and was spotted by someone from the secretary department as he walked through the rain to Riza's apartment and, not wanting to risk jeopardizing their relationship, he opted to turn around and go home.

He probably wouldn't go back to her place for some time. If someone had finally caught him, then someone else might if he tried again. It was too risky to keep meeting with her once a week so they'd have to give up seeing each other outside of work for a while.

Taking off his wet coat and draping it over a chair, he peeled off the rest of his damp clothing and put on his workout clothes. Maybe some exercise would help relieve his annoyance at the situation. The local gym was just across the street and he'd actually have an umbrella on him this time since the rain was already falling and wouldn't sneak up on him like it had earlier.

Roy arrived at the gym only to discover that it was closed due to a leak in the roof that had caused a flood when the sudden downpour hit. Of course. What else was going to go wrong that night? He cursed and turned the corner, heading to East Headquarters. The gym there was available to all personnel any time. The only reason he never used it, despite it being free, was because it was further away, but tonight, he'd have to walk the extra miles that he was usually only willing to walk to go to Riza's place.

When Roy finally arrived at the workout room in headquarters, he was mildly surprised to see the lights were on. Someone was already there, not that he minded, but it was positively someone he worked with and he was in no mood to keep up appearances or make idle conversation.

He sighed and went to unlock the door, unable to hide his grumpiness as he stepped into the room, until he saw who exactly was already there working out. A slow grin spread on his face and he crossed his arms, watching, and admiring, his lieutenant as she stretched on the mat in the center of the room. She hadn't seemed to notice who exactly walked in until she glanced at the door and almost fell over in surprise.

"Colonel," she said standing and saluting.

"At ease," Roy said, chuckling as he walked toward her. "Fancy meeting you here, Lieutenant. Come here often?"

"Yes, sir," she replied, sitting back down to resume her stretching. "The facilities here are free and since headquarters is only a few blocks from my apartment, it's worth it for me to come here instead of a gym I'd have to pay for."

"Ah, makes sense. Hope you don't mind me joining you this evening. My usual gym was flooded."

"Things aren't working out for you tonight it seems."

Roy sighed and sat down next to Riza.

"Yeah… But, it turned out okay after all," he said quietly, glancing at Riza with a soft smile.

"Yes," she replied just as quietly. "It seems it did."

They were silent while they finished their stretching.

"What do you say to a little sparring match, Lieutenant?" Roy asked, standing up and placing his hands on his hips as he grinned at Riza.

"Are you sure? I'd hate to embarrass you, sir."

A small, mischievous smirk flashed across Riza's features before it disappeared and she took on a stoic expression once again.

Roy's face fell for a moment before he smirked back at her.

"Confident are we? We'll just see about that."

The sparring match was over in under ten minutes with Roy flat on his back and out of breath. They had been on equal footing for most of it, but Riza quickly overwhelmed him toward the end and he scowled up at her from his place on the floor.

"It's just been a bad night for me," Roy grumbled an excuse as he took Riza's offered hand and stood. "Next time you won't be so lucky."

"Next time?" Riza asked, raising a brow in curiosity.

"This seems like something I could get used to," Roy replied, grinning once again. "It's free and I get to spar with someone who can actually keep up with me."

"That does sound like a good alternative," Riza mused, aware of the hidden meaning of his words.

They couldn't meet at her apartment anymore. That was something they could both agree on. He had been caught going to her place once and their future goals were too important to be ruined over someone discovering their relationship or spreading rumors that were now mostly true. Meeting at the gym at HQ was a safe option for them to be able to meet in a more personal setting, though because they were at work, they'd have to retain a professional relationship, but it was better than being alone, wishing they could see each other.

Plus, as it turned out, they both enjoyed sparring with one another.

It wasn't the most ideal situation, but at least they could touch each other in some form without garnering suspicion. They would have to make due for the time being.

 **000000**

Riza arrived an hour early to work, as per her usual routine, walking through the empty and silent halls of East Headquarters at an almost leisurely pace. She pulled out her keys as she neared team Mustang's office and, when she went to unlock the door, was surprised to find that it was already unlocked.

No one else from the team ever showed up early, especially not _that_ early.

Opening the door and stepping into the office, she was even more surprised to find that it was Roy who had arrived earlier than her, casually sitting as his desk looking like he was contemplating something. He looked up when she walked in and saluted him and he could see the question on her face without her having to say a word.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," he said, leaning forward in his chair. "I'm here early because there was something I wanted to discuss with you."

"Oh?" Riza intoned, taking her seat at her desk. "And what might that be, sir?"

"Come over here for a moment, please," he said, reclining back in his seat a bit and reaching into the breast pocket of his coat for something.

Riza sent him a curious look, but obliged and approached his desk. Roy pulled out the chain with his dog tags and then produced two more dog tags from his pocket. Riza's brow furrowed in confusion as she watched him stand and hold his hand out to her, one of the extra dog tags sitting in the palm of his outstretched hand. Looking closer, she could see it had her name on it and she glanced from the tag to Roy, wondering what he was doing.

"I thought, um," Roy began, suddenly seeming nervous. "I thought we could exchange dog tags. You take one of mine and I'll take one of yours… As kind of a promise between the two of us that no one else will see or know about. The only thing I could really think of was this since more conventional options won't work for us. In the event it gets noticed that we have three dog tags each, we could make the excuse of, oh I don't know, we don't have any other family so we exchanged our tags and if something happens to one of us, they can use the tag to contact the other… So I had extras made for us so that we still have the required two with our names… I don't know, maybe it's ridiculous…"

A smile grew on Riza's face as she watched her colonel ramble on and she thought it was very endearing. And his idea made her happy. It was such a sweet gesture.

"I like that idea," she said quietly.

Roy smiled at her and took off one of his old dog tags from his chain and she did the same. He reached for her chain and slipped his tag onto it and in turn she slipped hers on to his. They each put one of the new dog tags with their respective information on after so the other's tag would be in the middle, sandwiched between their own tags. Roy helped Riza put her chain back on before putting his over his head. They both hid the tags beneath their clothes again and smiled at each other.

Riza glanced around and listened to make sure no one was coming before rounding Roy's desk and planting a chaste kiss on his lips. It ended up being not as fast as she intended though as Roy was quick to wrap his arms around her and hold her tightly against him, keeping their lips pressed firmly together for much longer than Riza had initially planned. He grinned at her as he pulled away and released her.

"Thank you," she said after a few moments, pressing her hand to the middle of her chest where her dog tags rested. "But now that you're here early, you can get to work early."

Roy groaned and flopped into his seat. By offering an exchange of dogs tags as a symbol of their relationship, he thought it would have been a sweet enough gesture that she would go easy on him for at least that day. He should have known better.

"You're killing me here, Lieutenant," he grumbled as she piled another stack of paperwork onto his desk and crossed her arms, giving him a look that said he'd better get to work or she'd find even more work to shove at him.

 **000000**

Ugh, this chapter was so hard to write because I wanted to fill in some gaps in story that I've been neglecting because of my want to write fluff. Lol So uh, sorry this took so long. It also feels a little rushed to me, so sorry for that too… But thanks for reading anyway!

Also to note, because Arakawa stated in the manga that there are no religions like Christianity and such in the FMA world, I didn't want Hughes and Gracia to ask Roy and Riza to be godparents because that wouldn't exist in their world, hence the aunt and uncle thing, so I know it sounds kind of weird, but just go with it please. lol

I'm still trying to decide if I want to come up with more adventures for Roy, Riza, Ed, and Al since I have about three years of time until the actual FMA timeline, but I have no ideas right now... So we'll see, if I can't come up with anything, the next chapter may be a time skip to the actual FMA storyline.


	24. Comfort and Trouble

Sorry this chapter took longer than usual to write. I kind of ran out of ideas and then started writing prompt drabble requests for people on Tumblr and kept putting this off.

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When a piece of paper was slipped in front of him on Thursday morning, Roy Mustang looked up to find Hawkeye waiting patiently for him to actually look at what it was she had given him. The somber expression on her face and the distant look in her eyes gave him pause and instead of focusing on the paper she had just placed on his desk, he continued to stare at her, a concerned expression on his face. Riza understood his unspoken question, but gestured to the paper instead of answering him.

Roy finally looked down his brow furrowed even more.

"What's this?"

"A request for leave time, sir," she said, and this got the attention of the others in the room, though they all pretended like they weren't listening.

Yes, he could _see_ what it was. That wasn't what he meant and she knew it.

When? Why? These were the questions he wanted answers to. Answers directly from her mouth.

Something seemed off about her and Roy couldn't put his finger on it. Eventually, when he was sure that Riza wasn't going to say anything on the matter, he picked up the leave request and actually read it.

"Ah, of course," he said, regaining his composure and leaning back in his chair casually before the others noticed his odd behavior. "You're the most hard working out of all of us, Lieutenant, of course you can take the day off tomorrow."

"Thank you, sir," Riza said tonelessly, then turned and went back to her desk, Roy's eyes following her until she sat.

He would need to remember to ask what was bothering her later, maybe when they met at the gym, but when Riza didn't show up that evening, Roy knew there was definitely something wrong. Not informing someone that she was going to be late or absent when she was expected to be somewhere was uncharacteristic of her.

His workout did nothing to distract him from his worried thoughts. He was positive something similar happened the previous year, the year she began working as his adjutant, and he knew he wouldn't be able to stop thinking about it until he spoke to her.

After exiting East Headquarters, he immediately went to the nearest phone booth to call Riza and heaved a heavy sigh when she didn't answer. There was no point in risking a trip to her place if she potentially wasn't even home, so he'd have to wait until tomorrow. Maybe he could make some excuse about bringing her lunch or something.

Sighing again, he put his hands into his pockets and slunk off toward his apartment.

 **000000**

The next day dragged on and Roy was swamped in so much work that he didn't get a chance to even call Riza. With her gone, the office always seemed to fall into chaos. He cursed his luck as he started on the next pile of paperwork that needed his signature and didn't bother to read much of what was written before scrawling his name and moving to the next document.

Finally the end of the day neared and Roy left early, having managed to get enough work done that no one would question him about that decision as he meandered the halls, trying to appear as if he wasn't in a hurry. Though, as soon as his car was out of sight of headquarters, he sped to Riza's place, willing to take the chance that someone might see him if it meant finding out what was upsetting his lieutenant enough for her to make such a face and even take a day off.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Roy reached Riza's apartment in record time and quickly knocked, hoping she was home.

His heart shattered when she opened the door.

She looked just like she did when they were in Ishval, hollow dead eyes rimmed red with fatigue. If he didn't know any better, he'd have mistaken her for a ghost with her pale sunken face and blank expression while dressed in a white nightgown.

He could tell she was confused as to why he was there, but made no move to reprimand him, another sign that something was very wrong.

"I was worried about you," Roy muttered. "You were acting strangely yesterday when you asked for the day off and...And well I...I remembered something like this happened last year I think. May I come in or…"

Riza stared at him as he trailed off and finally nodded once, backing up to let him in.

"You shouldn't have come," she finally managed to say, her tone as hollow as her eyes. "You take too many risks."

"I knew you'd say that," he said, sighing. "But I could barely get any work done today knowing that there was something upsetting you… You can't blame me for being worried."

Riza didn't respond or look at him, moving to sit on her couch where a pillow and blanket were thrown haphazardly over the cushions. It appeared as if she had been on the couch all night and day.

Roy took a seat next to her and, unable to stand seeing her in such obvious emotional distress any longer, took her in his arms. She limply fell into his embrace and didn't fight it, burying her face into the rough fabric of his uniform on his shoulder and gripping the front of his jacket tightly. He ran his fingers soothingly along her back, up and down her spine, gently coaxing her with his actions and words to tell him what was upsetting her so much. When she finally relented and confessed to what was bothering her, Roy's heart nearly stopped.

It was the anniversary of her first kill in Ishval, a father and son that had attacked her assigned squad.

Roy grit his teeth and held her tighter, burying his nose into her hair. So that was why she had taken the day off last year too. Out of everything he could have imagined bothering her, that had not been something that occurred to him. But it should have. He himself regularly suffered from horribly vivid nightmares of his first day in Ishval that haunted him even into his waking hours.

Even if Riza scolded him and tried to push him out the door, Roy was not going to leave her side that night. Much to his surprise, she didn't try to send him home, allowing him to hold her until morning.

It was the first night they ever spent alone together and it was filled with nothing but hushed reassuring whispers, tender caresses, and the comforting warmth of being in each other's arms.

 **000000**

Riza slowly woke to the scent of cedar and cologne and the feeling of being safe, wrapped up in something warm and soft. When she opened her eyes, she was met with Roy's sleeping face and she almost gasped until she remembered why he was there and holding her in her bed. Memories of the previous night washed over her and she relaxed in Roy's arms, sighing and moving closer to him. He was still in his uniform pants and his white button up was wrinkly and half unbuttoned and she wondered how he had ever been able to fall asleep in what seemed like such uncomfortable clothing.

When she looked back up at his face, his eyes were open and watching her with a soft gaze that made her heart flutter briefly.

"'Morning," he muttered, voice still rough and slurred from sleep.

"Hm," she hummed and pressed herself closer to him, hiding her face in his shoulder. "You should probably leave though…"

"Pfft, if people are going to see me leaving anyway, what's the harm in staying a little longer? We'll just make it seem like I showed up to pick up some documents you worked on during your day off. It's believable. You are quite the workaholic after all." Riza huffed and shoved his arm playfully, making Roy hesitate to ask the question on the tip of his tongue. She seemed to be doing better and he was loathe to bring up what happened that night, but his want to make sure she really was better won out. "Are you...okay?"

Riza sighed and pulled away from him, sitting up, bringing her knees to her chest and clutching the blankets up to her neck.

"I'll be fine," she said quietly, not meeting Roy's eyes. "I'm feeling much better, thank you."

Riza genuinely was grateful to him. Had he not shown up, she more than likely would have been in the same funk she had been the past few days. His presence, as always, was a solid and stable comfort. She certainly wasn't over it, never would be, but at least her torment was tolerable with Roy by her side. They'd work through their problems together, like always.

"Okay," Roy said, nodding and giving her a soft smile, pulling her close to kiss her temple.

 **000000**

"The Elrics are going to be in this city tomorrow," Roy informed Riza at work that Monday, pointing to a Northwestern location on a map. "I'd like for you to go there and keep an eye on them, if you're up for it."

"Of course, sir," she replied with a salute, knowing that he was still worried about her emotional stability, but she was honestly fine and could easily manage an undercover mission to watch over the Elric brothers.

Roy nodded and handed her a train ticket and the information on the town the brothers were going to.

"Right then, here's everything you should need to know. Good luck, Lieutenant."

Riza took the information and snapped to another salute before exiting the office.

Yeveth was a small town in the Northern area of Amestris bordering the Central area. It was known for its agriculture first and foremost, but it was also known for having one of the most extensive libraries outside of Central City and the boys had apparently gotten a tip that they could find more information on the philosopher's stone there, like who was said to have had one last and where one may be located now. Mustang said it wasn't clear who gave them this information, but the Elric brothers were eager to pursue this tip and Hawkeye was more than happy to follow them to make sure they didn't run into anything dangerous, especially since Yeveth was full of people who hated the military.

Riza waited until the boys were off the train before disembarking herself. This was the third time she had trailed them like this and she knew exactly the kind of distance she needed to put between herself and the brothers so that they wouldn't notice her. She almost felt a little bad following them, not trusting them to avoid dangerous situations on their own, but the boys were only twelve and thirteen. Could anyone really blame Mustang and Hawkeye for being concerned for a couple of kids travelling the country by themselves?

Edward and Alphonse seemed to be able to take care of themselves though as Riza had never needed to step in to help them on any of her undercover operations to watch over them. If they handled themselves just as well on this trip, Hawkeye's report to Mustang would include her opinion that they didn't need anyone watching over them and this would probably be the last time she would trail them like this.

The library the boys were there to see was close to the train station, so they walked there, refraining from speaking to anyone about a ride or anything else. Whether that was because the boys knew that the people of Yeveth disliked the military or not, Riza didn't know, but it worked out in their favor so far, the only thing drawing attention, as usual, was Alphonse. As long as Ed didn't pull out his pocketwatch, there probably wouldn't be any trouble on this trip.

Unfortunately, Ed, who was told he needed to be over a certain age to check out the kinds of books he wanted, whipped out his pocketwatch and gave the librarian a smug yet angry look, proclaiming he had a right to check out whatever books he wanted as he was a state alchemist.

His temper always got the best of him it seemed. Riza sighed and hoped the people that were witness to his outburst would cut them some slack since they were just kids.

Unbeknownst to any of them, a man overheard all of this and frowned at Ed from his seat. The man had been rejected when he applied to become a state alchemist a couple of years earlier and had no love for the military, especially state alchemists. The other people of the town might have toned down their anger due to the Elrics being so young, but he certainly wouldn't. As Ed and Al left the library, piles of books in their arms, the man followed them, bumping into Riza and knocking her fake glasses off her face, sending them clattering to the floor.

"Excuse me," Riza said, picking up her glasses quickly.

The man muttered a halfhearted apology, but paused to stare at Riza face for a moment. She looked familiar to him and as she hurried out of the library after the boys, the man continued to stare after her, trying to figure out how he recognized her. And then it hit him.

She was one of Roy Mustang's dogs. The haughty Flame Alchemist with his nonchalant and high and mighty attitude was one of the state alchemists the man hated the most. Mustang was responsible for getting the man sent to jail after he tried to take revenge for not being accepted into the state alchemist program by damaging military property and even going so far as to injure several officers.

The man smirked. It looked like she was following the little state alchemist. Though it disgusted him to even be in the presence of anyone who would demote themselves to being a part of the military, maybe he could use the kid and the woman for some payback. He jogged out of the library to try to catch up, formulating a plan as he neared his quarry.

 **000000**

Oh look, another chapter full of fluff. I told myself I needed to get some angst and story going, but here we are… Whoops. So I thought I'd leave you with a minor cliffhanger... Anyway, thanks for reading. See you next chapter!


	25. Uneasy Feelings

I wasn't going to put a warning on this, but then I figured I probably should since this kind of thing does actually happen to people and it can be traumatic. This chapter involves a creepy stalker/guy that has an agenda and is out to hurt someone. So don't read if that kind of thing makes you uncomfortable.

I also transcribed a scene from the Brotherhood specials/manga book, FMA Chronicle, you'll know it when you see it. I didn't come up with that scene, it was all written by the amazing Hiromu Arakawa.

 **000000**

If you asked Jay Soren, there were a lot of things wrong with the State Alchemist program, the main issue being that they rejected him. He had so much to offer and the military was too blind to see it. Sure he may have lost his temper and might have gone a little overboard when he began destroying government property, but that was no reason for them to threaten him like they had, several times in fact. So of course he lashed out and started injuring officers. That was a normal reaction, wasn't it? Anyone would have done the same. He wasn't crazy, everyone else was.

When Colonel Mustang, Lieutenant Colonel at that time, was sent out to subdue and arrest Jay, the rejected state alchemist had been furious and swore revenge on the Flame Alchemist for getting him thrown in jail for a year.

And now, as Jay followed who he recognized to be Mustang's loyal and pretty bodyguard, he formulated a million plans in his head about how he could exact his revenge using the woman and possibly the young alchemist she appeared to be trailing. They were both probably important in some way, the woman being important to Mustang and the boy being important to the military if he was so young and managed to become a state alchemist, and Jay could use that to gain the upper hand. He could use them as hostages maybe. Yes, that might be the best idea. Outright killing them might not do him any good.

Jay followed them until they all stopped at the same inn, the young alchemist and the boy in the suit of armor went in first, the woman going in after them a bit later. He grinned, now knowing where they were staying, and slunk off into the shadows to bide his time until the most opportune moment to strike presented itself.

 **000000**

On the train ride back to East City, Riza got the distinct feeling she was being watched. No one really stood out to her after doing quick and discreet scan of the others in her train car, so she attempted to ignore it and returned to reading her book, though she remained a little on guard out of habit.

Unfortunately, the feeling didn't leave her even after she disembarked the train and began to make her way home after making sure the Elric brothers were off the train and out of sight. She knew she was being followed. At least whoever it was seemed to be after her and not the boys. Riza knew she could take care of things on her own and the Elrics had enough to worry about without having a stalker tacked on to everything else.

Instead of going home, she made a detour to East Headquarters in an attempt to throw the stalker off and it seemed to work. The feeling of eyes on her dissipated as she entered the building and she sighed in relief, walking to Mustang's office to see if anyone was still around that evening. She figured it was probably a good idea to wait around for a while before going home, just to be on the safe side. A stalker knowing where she lived would have been a problem for more than one reason.

Hawkeye approached Mustang's office and noticed the door was unlocked and the lights were still on inside. She figured it was Roy frantically trying to catch up on the paperwork he undoubtedly put off in her absence and upon entering the office, she was indeed met with the sight of the colonel at his desk, sleeping face down on a large pile of paperwork. The sound of the door opening and closing didn't even wake him, which meant he must have been unusually tired, something Riza wasn't surprised about by now. Roy being unusually tired was something that coincidentally seemed to happen every time she was gone on an out of town mission without him.

Riza sighed and stepped up to his desk.

"Colonel?" she said, just loud enough that he would hopefully hear and wake up.

Roy groaned and slowly woke up, rubbing his eyes and looking around blearily. When his eyes landed on Riza, he was so startled he almost fell out of his chair.

"Lieutenant!" Roy yelped, sitting straighter in his chair in an attempt to keep it from toppling over. "When did you get back?"

"About half an hour ago," Riza replied, unfazed by Roy's ridiculousness. For a moment, she considered telling him about the fact that she thought she was being watched, but decided against it, not wanting to add on to the stress she already knew plagued him for most of his waking hours. "Perhaps you should go home, sir, it _is_ a bit late and you can finish this up in the morning."

Roy blinked and wiped a hand down his face then glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Maybe you're right," he sighed, standing and giving her a tired smile. "Going soft, are you, Lieutenant?"

Riza returned his smile with one of her own, barely visible unless one looked closely.

"Just for now," she said, a hint of humor in her tone. "I expect you to finish all of that in the morning."

Roy chuckled and walked around his desk to stand beside her.

"Fine, fine, I promise I'll get it done. Shall I walk you home, Lieutenant? A lady shouldn't have to walk home alone in the dark."

Riza was about to agree to that, but remembered the stalker and frowned a bit.

"I think I can manage on my own, sir," she said, hoping he wouldn't argue. "You seem to be very tired and I don't want you to have to go so far out of your way."

She should have known he wouldn't take no for an answer. This _was_ Roy Mustang afterall.

"Nonsense, It's only a few minutes out of my way. It would be no trouble."

Riza sighed, knowing he was going to walk her home no matter what she said, so she gave up and nodded.

"Alright Colonel, thank you."

Roy grinned and held the office door open for her, locking it once they both stepped out.

"It's really a nice night," Roy said, glancing up at the sky and breathing in the fresh air as they walked out of headquarters.

"It is," Riza agreed, not actually noticing the environment around her as she was too busy glancing around them to make sure no one was following.

It didn't seem like anyone was watching them or following them, so she relaxed a bit, wondering if she had just been imagining things earlier.

Roy's hand brushed against hers and she had a feeling it was not accidental. She allowed his fingers to slowly and gently curl around hers while they walked and the warmth from the contact calmed her.

"How was your trip?" Roy asked casually, releasing her hand.

"It was fine," Riza replied quietly. "I had a good time, nothing much happened, though it was nice to have a break from work."

Roy nodded, understanding her meaning that the Elric brothers were fine and nothing happened to them during their trip to Yeveth.

"Good to hear," he said as they reached Riza's apartment building and she reached into her bag to get her keys.

"Good night. Please be careful on your way home, sir."

"I will, good night Lieutenant," he said, his gaze soft and warm. "And welcome home. I'm glad you're back."

 **000000**

Three days later, Riza still felt someone's eyes on her whenever she was outside of headquarters. She could no longer chalk that feeling up to her imagining things or being tired. There definitely was someone stalking her, but it didn't really make her nervous. It was just starting to irritate her more than anything and she almost wished whoever it was would make their presence known so she could deal with them.

Roy had a date that evening so left early, leaving Riza to finish up some work a little after hours, not wanting to get too far behind later in the week. Staying an hour or so after work one night was far preferable to staying with a panicked Roy into the early morning hours trying to finish up the paperwork he put off every time. The man never learned.

On her way home, the hair on Riza's neck stood on end and a minor chill went up her spine and she turned her head sharply to look behind her down the dark street, hand hovering over the gun on her back. There was a couple across the street walking arm in arm, but they were clearly concentrating on each other and were most likely not the ones watching her.

Riza frowned and continued walking, faster than before. If someone was following her, they'd have to hurry to catch up to her and she'd probably be able to hear their footsteps when they did. Unfortunately, she heard nothing and she sighed as she reached the stairs leading up to her apartment. Maybe she was just paranoid? She had been under a lot of stress the past week. Maybe a relaxing bath and a nice cup of tea would help.

Riza ascended the stairs and walked down the hall to her apartment and that's when she heard it. The unmistakable sound of footsteps echoing in the stairwell.

"Coming home a little late aren't you, Miss pretty lieutenant?"

A man's deep voice reached her ears and she had her gun drawn before he could even blink.

"Woah now, little lady," Jay Soren said, taking a step back. "I see you're just like _him_. Shoot first ask questions later… Like superior like subordinate I guess."

Riza's trigger finger twitched as she stared at Jay, unamused, keeping her gun leveled on him.

"What do you want?" she asked bluntly.

"You."

Riza went to shoot his leg in response, but the ground beneath her feet shifted and before she could react, the concrete turned into hands, grasping her ankles and forcing her off balance. She fell sideways and hit her apartment's door and in her confusion, Jay rushed forward and pinned her there. Riza noticed the transmutation circles tattooed onto his palms and inwardly cursed herself for not noticing them sooner. An alchemist was a little harder to deal with than an average criminal.

"These tattoos sure come in handy when I need to transmute in a rush," Jay sneered, leaning down closer to her face. "Glad I got em when I did… Now then, how about you come with me and…"

Jay didn't get a chance to finish speaking before Riza headbutted him then twisted in his grasp to pull a gun from her shoulder holster, removing the safety and shooting him in such a quick and fluid motion that Jay didn't even see it coming. Jay yelped in pain and grasped his shoulder. The cement hands holding Riza's feet dissolved instantly and Jay stumbled back and few steps, almost running into someone that had just come up the stairs moments earlier.

Jay turned to see Roy standing at the top of the stairs. He would have grinned at the sight, happy to be able to face the Flame Alchemist and exact his revenge to the man in person, but the look in Mustang's eyes frightened him terribly and he almost whimpered as he stepped backwards toward Riza, still clutching his shoulder and grimacing in pain.

"You dare to touch my lieutenant like that?" Roy said, voice icy and far too calm.

"You...It's all your fault!" Jay yelled suddenly and bolted toward Roy, intent on knocking him down the stairs, but Roy was quicker and snapped, sending a wave of flame at Jay.

Jay yelped as the flame hit his face, singing his eyebrows clean off and forcing the man to the ground, howling and in even more pain than before.

"I'll keep him here, lieutenant," Roy said without looking up from Jay. "Contact investigations."

"Yes sir," Riza nodded and entered her apartment to make the call.

 **000000**

"I could have handled that on my own," Riza said an hour later as she and Roy entered her apartment after Jay had been taken away.

"I know, you were doing a damn good job of it too," Roy replied, a proud gleam in his eye. "But I couldn't just let him get away with hurting you like that."

"And what are you doing here anyway? I thought you had a date tonight?"

"I did, but Claire needed to contact the madame about something so she passed off her information pretty quickly. It's a good thing too. What if you hadn't been able to deal with that guy on your own? He surprised you, didn't he?"

"He's been following me for a while." Riza sighed, walking into her kitchen to put on a kettle for tea. "I was expecting it. What I wasn't expecting was for him to be an alchemist."

Roy blinked, eyes widening.

"Wait, _what_?" he asked. "He's been following you for a _while_? Why didn't you tell me?!"

Riza shrugged.

"You didn't need to know. You have enough to worry about."

Roy stared at her, dumbfounded that she would even think something like that.

"Didn't need to know? Why can't you just let me worry about you sometimes!? Maybe I like doing that. Maybe I want to know what's going on in your life. Maybe I want to protect _you_ too!"

Riza sighed and turned to take the kettle off the stove.

"You need to focus on your future," she said quietly, retrieving two mugs from the cupboard. "I'm not important."

Roy took a deep breath let it out slowly, stepping closer to her.

"We've talked about this before… You are. You _are_ important. I can't do this without you."

Riza stopped making tea and froze. The emotion in Roy's voice simultaneously broke her heart and made it race.

"Of course you can," she said, refusing to look at him.

Riza Hawkeye, ever the realist. Roy sighed.

"Alright, yes, you're right, but that's not what I meant… It's...It's _our_ dream now isn't it? It would lose so much meaning without you."

A world where he managed to succeed and change the country without Hawkeye there to see it was something he couldn't even imagine. It was unthinkable. She deserved so much. She deserved to see that better world, deserved to live in it and be happy. If there was one thing he hated it was when Riza thought of herself as someone unworthy or unimportant. She was his world, his one point of light in the darkness of his mind. How did she still not understand that?

"Yes," Riza replied, finally looking at Roy. "It is _our_ dream now."

"Then let's do this together. Don't shut me out. No more hiding things… Though I never could hide anything from you."

A hint of a smile appeared on Riza's face at that.

"All right."

Roy nodded and reached out to brush her hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek and jaw.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

 **000000**

Hawkeye walked down the halls of East Headquarters toward the shooting range, passing a couple of lower ranking officers who parted for her and saluted. She saluted back without pausing in her stride.

"Hey, that was…" one of the men whispered to his friend.

"Yeah, she's the 'Hawk's Eye.'"

The men grinned.

"Seeing her accuracy makes me want to practice more."

Riza didn't seem to hear their praise as she entered the women's locker room. After opening her locker, Rebecca Catalina walked passed and smiled at her friend.

"Your hair is getting long!" Rebecca said, unlocking her own locker.

"You're right," Riza replied. "It's starting to get in the way. Maybe I should tie it up soon."

"You've always kept it short. Why did you suddenly decide to grow it out?" Rebecca looked up and grinned widely. "Is there a man who likes it long?"

"That's not it," Riza answered, only slightly annoyed at her friend always trying to find out if she had any guys she was interested in. Mostly Rebecca's attempts to find out more about her love life amused her. "I met a girl with long hair when I went to Resembool and I thought keeping it long might not be bad."

Riza picked up her rifle, as did Rebecca, and the two made to leave the locker room.

"That's all?" Rebecca said, sounding mildly disappointed. "What a simple reason."

"You think so? Reasons are always simple. We snipers are living in a very simple world as well." The two of them exited the locker room and entered the shooting range together. "A world in which we pull the trigger, and the enemy dies."

 **000000**

Riza entered Mustang's office the next morning, hair pulled back with a simple brown clip. Roy noticed the change immediately and grinned.

"Good morning, Lieutenant."

"Good morning, sir," Riza nodded. "You're here early."

"Yeah," Roy scowled. "Grumman's going to be out of the office today, but he didn't want to skip our chess match so he had me come in early." He paused and considered Riza for a moment. "Why did you decide to wear your hair up?" He paused again, realizing what he said. "I mean, not that it's bad! I think it looks good."

Riza smiled lightly.

"Thank you, sir, Rebecca gave me the clip this morning."

"Oh?"

"Mhm, she pointed out that it was getting long and I mentioned that it was getting in the way. When I went to my locker this morning Rebecca handed it to me."

"That was awfully nice of her."

Riza laughed quietly. Roy and Rebecca didn't really like each other much despite only meeting a handful of times.

"She's nice a lot of the time."

"I'll have to take your word for it," Roy grumbled, propping his head on his hand.

"I know why Rebecca doesn't like you, but why do you dislike her so much?"

Roy sighed.

"Because she's always trying to hook you up with someone," he muttered, meeting Riza's surprised gaze.

"You're...jealous? Don't be ridiculous, you know there's only one person I'm even remotely interested in." Roy began to grin, but it faded as soon as Riza's next words left her mouth. "Though sometimes he does make me question my sanity for having feelings for him."

Roy pouted and slouched in his chair.

"That's not a very nice thing to say."

Riza's lips tugged up into a small smirk.

"He can handle it. I've said worse things to him."

"This poor guy must really like you to tolerate such abuse."

"He does."

Roy and Riza shared a knowing look, expressions softening as they met each other's eyes and only tore their gazes from one another when the rest of the team filed in a while later.

 **000000**

I decided to give the random dude a name so I didn't have to keep referring to him as "the man" anymore. It was annoying and confusing otherwise. Lol

I'm finally done with writing all the prompt requests I owed people so I can hopefully focus on this story again. Next chapter will probably skip ahead another year to the canon timeline so see you then!


	26. Black Hayate

Forgive me for taking longer than usual to update. I was drawing a blank on this chapter for some reason, even though I kind of knew what I wanted to go into it, and I ended up editing and using a one shot I wrote for Royai Week 2016 on Tumblr for this. So if this first part sounds familiar, that's why.

 **000000**

Night had fallen over East City as Colonel Mustang and First Lieutenant Hawkeye moved into position to bust a smuggling ring that had been discovered on the outskirts of the city. It was a simple mission, but, as always, Mustang was willing to take on any job that had even a remote possibility of earning him a reputation, getting his name out there, and landing him a promotion.

He was sure the order was for his entire team, but he felt no need for all of them to be on duty for this particular mission and sent them home, assuring them that Hawkeye and himself could take care of things easily. Sure enough, the mission had been an easy success and only caused one minor setback. Riza Hawkeye broke one of her silver stud earrings.

While waiting for the authorities to take the smugglers away, she hadn't noticed one of the larger men lurch up behind her until it was too late. The man used his entire body to smash her sideways into a wall, ripping the gun from her hand and pointing it at her as she gripped her head, a severe headache erupting from the blow.

The ear that connected with the wall rang loudly, amplifying the pain in her skull. She grit her teeth and prepared to fight, but a snap to her left made that thought moot. A burst of flame hit the burly man's hand, singing the skin and forcing him to drop the gun, shouting in pain and falling to his knees, cradling his now scorched hand. He had been lucky. Mustang wanted to do a lot more to him after witnessing the mistreatment of his lieutenant.

Their backup arrived moments later and took the smugglers into custody while the investigations team immediately began to question Roy about the details of the mission. Not being able to go to her to make sure she was okay, he glanced to Riza, catching her eye and raising his brow in a questioning expression.

Riza understood the unspoken inquiry and nodded to confirm that she was fine, but as she went to rub her ear, she realized why it was not just painful, but also itchy. It had become sticky and red with blood that had dribbled down from a cut on her temple. She frowned as she wiped away the blood, only to freeze as her fingers groped her earlobe. Her earring was gone. Frown deepening, she looked down quickly to try to find the missing stud. It didn't take her long to find it, much to her relief, and she retrieved the small silver ball from the ground next to her. Upon closer examination, she discovered the backing had snapped off and with a heavy sigh she pocketed the broken earring, and its twin, for safe keeping.

Roy strode over to Riza once he was finished with relaying the mission information to the investigations team. Concern laced his expression as he neared her. The Lieutenant was rubbing her temple, trying to relieve the pain of her headache, and he definitely noticed the blood on her uniform jacket, hair, and ear. It had been a shallow cut, but it bled like crazy and made it look far worse than it was.

"Hawkeye, are you sure you're all right?" Roy asked, worry evident in his voice as he reached her side.

Riza looked up at Roy as he spoke. She graced him with a small smile.

"Yes, sir, it's just a scratch." she replied, turning to him to offer a salute.

Mustang waved his hand dismissively.

"None of that, lieutenant. We're off duty now. Let's get you home and clean up that cut."

Hawkeye nodded and followed him to his car parked a few blocks away. She still kept one hand at her temple, rubbing slowly to ease the pain. Mustang insisted on driving once they reached the car and with a headache as bad as the one she was dealing with, she didn't argue much.

Once they reached Riza's apartment, Roy followed her to her door, wanting to help her dress her wound, refusing to take no for an answer. They were both stubborn people, she mused, sighing and letting him into her apartment.

As it obviously wasn't the first time he had been to her home, he immediately headed for her bathroom where he knew she kept disinfectant and bandages, after removing his shoes, of course. She had always been a stickler about wearing shoes around the house.

He returned to her in the living room a minute later to find her sitting on the couch, uniform jacket already removed and draped over one of her dining chairs. She looked sad and distant as she stared off at the table in front of her. Roy approached her and sat to her right, choosing not to say anything about her mood. Instead, he began dabbing at the cut at her temple carefully with a wet cloth to remove the blood from her head and ear. She winced only slightly as he cleaned the cut with disinfectant and applied a bandage to it.

His gentle hands were a nice distraction from the dulling pain in her head and his fingers lingered on her skin after he finished his task. If she noticed, she said nothing. Small indulgences of their affection for one another were rare lately and each of them savored those moments. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as she felt him touch her ear.

"Your earring is gone."

Riza sighed and gestured to the coffee table where her precious earrings sat.

 _So that's what she had been looking at earlier._

"One of them broke when I was shoved into that wall," she replied, giving him a sad smile. "You know how important those are to me."

Roy nodded, returning her smile as he thought back to when she received those earrings. Years ago. In another lifetime. A simple gift full of meaning made by a young alchemist in gratitude for her sharing her secrets with him.

They both settled back into the cushions of the couch, reminiscing.

Roy's thoughts were interrupted minutes later by pressure on his shoulder. He looked down to find a sleeping Riza had slumped into him. He smiled, gently running his fingers through her hair. She was adorable when she slept and he simply sat for a while, admiring her delicate features.

As much as he would have loved to remain there with her sleeping at his side, his arm eventually became stiff and he reluctantly maneuvered out from under her in order to carefully pick her up and tuck her into bed. Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, he moved to leave her apartment, grabbing her earrings from the table as he went.

 **000000**

Riza entered the office the next morning seeming a little frazzled and upset. Most people wouldn't have noticed the slight change in her demeanor, but Roy certainly did. He even knew what was bothering her today, and that something was sitting in the breast pocket of the button-up beneath his uniform. A chance to tease Riza was hard to come by, and he refused to give in just yet, but the look on her face as he occasionally stole glances at her throughout the day, the small sighs she would occasionally emit, made him feel bad and almost had him giving up and spilling everything to her immediately.

The end of the day finally approached and the team filed out, chattering amongst themselves about the things they would be doing over the weekend. Hawkeye and Mustang were the last two in the office and as Riza finally got ready to leave, after giving Roy a crisp salute, the colonel smirked, cleared his throat, and addressed his lieutenant.

"Oh, Lieutenant, I almost forgot," Roy spoke quickly, but casually, stopping her before she opened the door.

Riza turned back to him with a questioning look. His grin widened and motioned for her to come close.

"Come over here and close your eyes."

"What do you mean, sir?" she asked, slightly annoyed by his antics. She was certainly not in the mood for games tonight.

"Just come over here, Lieutenant."

Hawkeye sighed and frowned at him, becoming suspicious of her superior, before doing as she was told. Once she stood only a foot away, Roy reached into his pocket to produce two silver stud earrings, both back to being in perfect condition, and reached for Riza's face. He gently placed the earrings on her ears, where they belonged. Riza's brow furrowed in confusion before realization dawned on her and her lips slowly curved into a small smile.

"There," Roy said, nodding satisfactorily at his handiwork. "Alright, open your eyes."

Riza obeyed and was met with her reflection in a small compact mirror. On her ears were her silver studs which looked as if nothing had ever happened to them to begin with. She hid her smile and glared up at Roy when he removed the mirror from in front of her face. Roy smiled nervously at her expression.

"Are you not happy?"

Hawkeye huffed and punched him in the arm, not hard enough to bruise, but hard enough that he flinched and rubbed at the spot.

"You've been hiding this from me all day," Riza scolded him, crossing her arms. "How could you? You _knew_ I was upset about one of them breaking. That was bad enough. But then I thought I had lost them on top of it."

Roy pouted and looked to the ground. He hadn't realized he was being that mean.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I just wanted to play a little prank on you, but I guess I took it too far. I should have just told you this morning," he rubbed the back of his head, looking back up her her sheepishly. "Will you forgive me?"

Riza sighed, knowing she shouldn't relent to his pouting so easily, but he could be so cute and convincing sometimes. She relaxed her stance and touched his cheek, making him bring his head back up to face her again. She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips before smiling at him.

"I shouldn't, but of course I do," Riza replied quietly, touching one of the earrings with a gentle caress. "Thank you for fixing them."

Roy's heart fluttered from the kiss and the way she looked at him, so full of affection.

"Of course! Anything for you." Roy beamed at her. "Now let's get out of here."

He placed his hand on the small her back as he led her out the door of their office, glad to finally be going home, and feeling overjoyed that he made the woman he loved happy again.

 **0000000**

Riza stood with her hands on her hips, staring at the shiba inu puppy she brought home from work. Fuery had seemed so upset about not finding a home for the pup that she decided to adopt it, though she did actually love dogs and was more than happy to bring the pup home with her. A companion around the house might be nice. She had been feeling lonely recently, especially since Roy couldn't really risk coming over all the time anymore, and having a dog would certainly help with that.

Black Hayate, as she named him, sat looking up at her, tail wagging and tongue lolling out happily. He was adorable.

Riza was attempting to teach him how to sit on command and he was proving to be a fast learner, especially when treats were involved.

A knock on her door surprised her and startled Hayate who began barking. She shushed him, told him to sit, and answered the door to find Roy standing there with a paper bag in his arms.

"Good evening, lieutenant," he said, grinning. "How's the puppy?"

Of course he was here to see the puppy. She should have known he would show up despite him being the one to first voice the suggestion they not meet as often anymore in order to keep up appearances.

Riza glared at him.

"The puppy is fine sir, now go home."

Roy's face fell.

"But I bought him some things," he argued in an attempt to appease her and hopefully get her to let him in. Sure that would have made this the second time he went into her apartment that week, but he was positive no one had seen him, so what was the harm? "Can't I at least come in and give this stuff to him?"

Riza sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation.

"Fine, but you really didn't need to get him anything."

"I know, but I wanted to. He's so cute."

As if on cue, Hayate wriggled his way through Riza's legs to see who was at the door. He hadn't learned to stay yet so just because he was told to sit didn't mean he was going to stay there for long. A visitor was far too interesting.

Roy grinned widely at seeing the pup and he bent down to pet him. Riza sighed, realizing she now had two boys in her life that would annoy her on many occasions. She opened the door wider to let Roy in, the pup right on his heels, dancing around in the hopes of more pets.

Roy set the paper bag down on the kitchen counter and pulled out a few toys and some treats, setting them next to the bag then grabbing one of the squeaky toys and shaking it in the air to get Hayate's attention.

The pup raised his backside in the air and wagged his tail, zipping after the toy once Roy threw it. He never played fetch before though and didn't bring the toy back, running around with it and making it squeak instead. It was quite noisy and Riza sent an annoyed look at Roy.

"Really? A squeaky toy?"

"What? He likes it!"

Riza sighed, but couldn't hide her small small from Roy. He grinned at her and stepped closer. He weaved his fingers with hers and his grin softened as they watched Hayate play.

"I guess I should go," he muttered reluctantly.

"Mhm," Riza hummed her reply.

Roy squeezed her hand and released it, walking toward the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow then, lieutenant."

Riza nodded, stopping next to him at the door. Roy reached to open the door and paused, thinking for a moment, before turning around, suddenly pulling Riza close and burying his nose in her hair.

"I miss you…" he murmured. "We haven't seen each other much lately."

"We see each other at work every day," Riza pointed out, returning his hug.

"That's not what I mean and you know it."

Riza sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I know… I miss you too."

 **000000**

Thanks for reading! I think I'm going to be known as the Royai fluff queen soon. That's all I seem to write for them. Lol

Hopefully I'll get the next chapter out a little quicker. See you then!


	27. Train Hijacking

The first half of this was obviously taken directly from the manga with minor changes. That, and the characters, belong to Hiromu Arakawa, of course.

 **000000**

"The hijacked train is the 04804 Limited Express from New Optain." Riza read off the information to Roy as they headed to the office that morning. "The crime was committed by East Area radicals called the 'Blue Group.'"

"Any declaration?"

"A rather spirited one came in. Would you like to read it?"

"No thanks," Roy answered quickly as they stepped into the office. "It's definitely going to insulting to us anyway."

"Quite correct," Riza said, frowning at the page in her hands. "They've demanded release of their imprisoned leader."

"As usual," Roy muttered, then turned to Falman. "So is the general really on board?"

"We're still trying to confirm that," Falman said, reading the relayed information Fuery was typing up. "But most likely, yes."

Roy sighed and scratched the back of his head.

"Well that's going to be a problem. And I had a date tonight too."

"Have an overtime date with us once in a while," Breda said over his cup of coffee.

Roy rubbed his chin in thought.

"One possibility is to sacrifice the general, then the case will wrap itself up."

"Please don't say anything dumb, Colonel," Fuery sighed, handing Roy a sheet of paper. "Here's a list of the passengers."

"Ah, old man Halcrow really is riding with his family," Havoc grumbled while looking over Roy's shoulder at the list of names.

"Good grief, he knows how unsteady things are over here, but he takes a vacation at a time like this…" Roy sighed and continued looking through the list of names until one caught his eye and he smirked. "Ah, gentlemen! It looks like we can leave earlier today than we thought, the Fullmetal Alchemist is on board."

 **000000**

As Roy expected, Edward took care of the train hijacking in his usual flashy way and by late afternoon the train pulled into East City's station with the members of the criminal group tied up and ready to be taken into custody. The boy was efficient, Roy'd give him that. Ed had cleared up a great number of cases for the military since he became the Fullmetal Alchemist, and despite usually making a mess of things, it still brought attention to the colonel since the boy was under his command, albeit fairly loosely as of late, and because every case was successfully wrapped up, it made Roy look very good. The cost to repair damages was a small price to pay if Mustang got a lot of positive recognition.

"Hi, Fullmetal," Roy smiled and raised his hand in greeting when he and Riza met Ed and Al at the station.

Edward grumbled and looked almost disgusted to see the colonel.

"Oh, it's the colonel." Alphonse spoke, trying to be polite in place of his brother's blatant disrespect. "Hello."

Roy glowered at Ed.

"Why do you look so unhappy…?"

"Argh, I should have stayed out of your jurisdiction!"

"As cold as always...and I see you haven't restored yourselves yet."

Ed frowned and looked away.

"We searched through so many books, but we didn't find anything new. We're going to go through East City again, but we haven't really come up with an efficient way of doing things yet…"

"I've heard rumors," Roy said casually. "Seems like you've done quite a bit here and there."

"You've got sharp ears, as usual," Ed grumbled.

Roy shrugged.

"It's only because you make such a show of it."

The sound of a yelp and cursing caught their attention and Roy and Ed looked over to where they had the head of the train hijacking tied up, only to find he was untied and standing. The guards that had been holding him were on the ground and bleeding. The man had a crazy, angry gleam in his eye and he lifted his automail arm to reveal a blade at the end.

Riza quickly pulled out her gun as the man began to charge at Roy.

"Colonel, please stay back…"

Roy put his arm out to block her.

"This should be fine," he smirked, raising his hand.

Roy snapped just as the man nearly reached him, sending the criminal flying back from the force of the blast with a shout of surprise and pain. The man's clothes smoked as he lay on the ground in defeat, soldiers running up to tie him up once more.

"I went easy on you," Roy said, stepping up to the singed man who grit his teeth and glared at the colonel. "If you're going to resist again, I'll turn you into cinders, got it?"

 **000000**

Roy, Riza, Ed, and Al left the station once the criminals were taken into custody and the four went back to headquarters. Riza stood outside the door while Ed, Al, and Roy entered the empty office.

Before he and Riza left for the train station, Roy had sent the rest of the team home early since the emergency that day had been resolved and nothing else needed immediate attention. This was his excuse, but he had ulterior motives involving a certain first lieutenant of his. Unfortunately, his plans for the rest of the day would have to wait as Ed clearly was not going to let him go home early.

"You owe me for this one, right Colonel?" Ed said, a confident grin plastered on his face.

"There's something disturbing about having to be in your debt…" Roy sighed. "All right, I'll cave, what do you want?"

"Can you show us to a library or introduce us to an alchemist that has detailed information on biological transmutation around here?"

"Right now?" Roy groaned. "You sure are impatient."

"We want to restore ourselves asap!"

"It _has_ been a while since we last met...Let's chat over a cup of tea."

"And what would the fun be in drinking tea with a guy?" Ed grumbled.

Roy ignored him as he sifted through some files.

"Hm, maybe… Yes, this is it. 'Artificial synthesis at the cost of two or more organisms of different genetic backgrounds.' In short, there's a researcher of chimaera transmutation living within the city. Shou Tucker, the Binding Life Alchemist."

 **000000**

While Riza was driving Roy home from work that evening, Roy wouldn't stop glancing at her and it was almost driving her nuts. He clearly had something he wanted to say and she was just about ready to tell him to just spit it out already. If it was something bad, he should just tell her. They already agreed not to hide anything from each other anymore. She was a little annoyed that it seemed like he was seriously considering going against that promise.

Finally Roy took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and spoke, the tension in Riza's shoulders leaving upon hearing his words.

"Why don't you stay a bit? It's been a while since we've had a chance to be together."

Riza parked the car at the curb in front of Roy's apartment building and turned her attention to him.

"Just because we managed to get an evening off a little early doesn't mean it's okay. You have quite a few enemies due to you're quick climb in the ranks, who's to say someone isn't watching?"

She sent him one of her 'you're not winning this one' glares and Roy groaned.

"You say that every time!" Roy slumped in his seat and pouted. "Fine, fine." he said in defeat, stepping out of the car.

"Good night sir, hopefully you won't get any visitors. I'd hate for someone to bother you when you finally have some time to relax."

Roy met Riza's eyes, seeing the hint of mirth there, and he smirked.

"I agree, that _would_ be a shame… Well, good night, Lieutenant. I'll see you tomorrow."

An hour later, Roy just finished making dinner when there was a knock at his door. He grinned and hurried to answer, already knowing who it would be.

He opened to the door and his jaw nearly hit the floor at the sight he was met with. The woman was exactly who he had expected. What she was wearing, however, was anything but.

Standing before him was "Elizabeth," long brown wig cascading over her shoulders in waves, her deep red colored lips shone in the dim light, and her knee length red dress was low-cut and sleeveless and probably showed off her back had she not been wearing a shawl.

Riza's "Elizabeth" disguise threw him off almost every time. Even though it was still Riza, the style of clothing she wore and the way she held herself were most definitely not. It made the perfect distraction. No one would ever know it was her unless they looked extremely closely.

"Good evening," Riza said in a voice that was far higher and more sultry than normal. It made Roy's head spin. "I hope you wouldn't mind some company. I was feeling lonely and wanted to see you."

Roy gave her his most charming grin, attempting to pull himself together after his initial shock.

"Of course not, Elizabeth. Please, come in."

Riza smiled and stepped into Roy's apartment, breaking character only after the door was shut and bolted. She sighed, stepping out of her heels and pulling off her wig.

"This disguise is so tiring to use."

"You do look amazing though," Roy said, stepping close to her to help remove her shawl, but paused just as he reached to pull it off her shoulders. "Oh, one second, I almost forgot. I need to tell Havoc to pick up Fullmetal from the Tucker residence."

He would have normally wanted to send Hawkeye to pick the boys up, but spending time with her was becoming rarer and rarer these days with how busy they had been and he was not about to give up an evening with her for anything. Havoc would be a good replacement, even if the second lieutenant would probably complain about having to do anything work related after hours.

"Why is it so dim in here?" Riza asked as soon as Roy hung up the phone.

Roy answered with a smug smile.

"Because..." he said vaguely, stepping into the center of the room and putting on one of his ignition gloves.

Roy snapped, his flames dispersing around the room, lighting a plethora of candles in all sort of colors that were littered throughout his apartment. They flickered and danced, creating shadows on the walls, and Riza had to admit, it was actually kind of pretty and, dare she say, romantic. Roy turned on a record player and soft relaxing music began playing, adding an even more romantic touch.

Riza turned to him after admiring the room and graced him with a small smile.

"It's lovely," Riza said, eyeing a cheesecake from her favorite bakery on the kitchen counter. "And is that a cheesecake I see? I think you may have outdone yourself this time."

Roy grinned proudly, obviously pleased that she was impressed.

"Only the best for you."

Riza smiled and shook her head, stepping up to kiss him on the cheek. Her lipstick left a mark in the shape of her lips and she laughed lightly as he rubbed at the stain, an almost dreamy grin on his face.

"Thank you."

"Any time, beautiful," Roy said, rubbing the last of her lipstick off his cheek then placing his hand behind her head to bring her close so he could kiss her forehead. "Now let's eat before dinner gets cold."

Roy pulled out one of the dining chairs and pushed Riza in once she sat. He certainly was going all out with his gentlemanly upbringing and Riza didn't need to guess why he was doing so much. It was the two year anniversary of the day they made a promise to each other with the exchange of their dog tags. Had it been any other day, she probably wouldn't have gone through the trouble and risks of donning her disguise and going to his place, but the day was too important to both of them. It had also been several months since they had been able to be alone together and she really did miss spending time with him.

"Want me to hang up your shawl for you?" Roy asked, standing behind her chair, hands lingering just above her shoulders.

Riza clutched at the black garment and frowned. The dress showed off some of her back and she was uncertain about whether or not revealing any portion of her scars to him was a good idea. He always reacted in a negative way to seeing them, and even though only a bit of the scar on her shoulder peeked out, it might be enough to throw him into a bout of self hatred and the night was too special for it to be ruined by terrible memories.

Roy seemed to sense her hesitation and placed his hands on her shoulders, squeezing lightly as he leaned closer to her ear.

"It's okay," he muttered. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

He didn't seem to realize she was worried about upsetting _him_. She would never be ashamed of her scars.

"That's not it," she said, voice soft and slightly apprehensive. "Is… Is it okay? Will _you_ be okay?"

Roy sucked in a breath as understanding sunk in. His grip on her shoulders tightened marginally and he stood straight again, suddenly glad he was behind her so she couldn't see his face.

"I…"

Roy didn't know how to respond. Thinking about it, he realized that every time he had seen her scars, his reaction was one of sorrow and he would retreat into himself as the memories of the day he burned her overtook his mind. It was apparently an instinctual reaction he hadn't even noticed until right then. If her back was visible to him now, would he react in the same way?

Roy took a deep breath, determination setting in. If her scars didn't bother her, he would _not_ let them bother him. He would listen to her when she told him to not blame himself, as she did every time he grieved over her back. Her scars were a part of her and Roy Mustang loved every part of Riza Hawkeye with every fiber of his being.

"It's fine," he finally said, gently tugging on the shawl. "There's no need for you to be so concerned."

Riza glanced at him over her shoulder as best she could with a skeptical look, but relented as he continued to pull at her shawl. She let the fabric slip through her fingers and her skin prickled as the air touched her bare shoulders and upper back.

She was about to say something but stopped before any words were spoken, mouth hanging open in surprise when she felt Roy move her hair aside, rest a hand on her shoulder, and press his lips against the bit of her scar peeking out from under the dress, once, twice, three times, almost as if he were worshipping her back.

"You're beautiful, you know that?"

Riza couldn't keep the smirk off her face and she leaned back into him.

"Just hurry and bring out the dinner you didn't want getting cold," she said, humor laced in her tone.

"Ah! That's right!"

Roy threw Riza's shawl over the coat rack near the door and hurried to pull dinner out of the oven. Thankfully it hadn't gotten cold and the two enjoyed dinner paired with expensive wine and conversation that, for the first time in a long time, did not involve work. They both felt good being able to relax in each other's presence again, something they both realized they had sorely missed.

After dessert, they retreated to the couch where they snuggled up with glasses of wine, Roy's arm firmly wrapped around Riza's waist to hold her as close as possible and Riza's head resting on his shoulder. They spent the rest of the night holding each other, drinking the rest of the wine in comfortable silence, blissfully unaware of the horrors that would shake them in the following days.

 **000000**

Well this chapter got done a lot quicker than I anticipated. A lot happened in the last couple of days. Quite a bit of bad news hit my family and it's got me pretty stressed out, so I needed something to distract me for a while. Hence why I was able to finish this in a couple of days. Thanks for reading and hopefully the next chapter will be out just as quickly. Prepare yourselves for those Nina feels.


	28. Nina

I've been waiting to write this chapter since I started this fic. In fact, it was one of the ideas that inspired me to start this thing in the first place. I was excited about it, so I hope you enjoy all the angst.

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When Mustang received a call from Edward, the words the boy stammered out were the last things he expected to hear out of Ed's mouth. Fullmetal was very obviously upset and it was understandable. A father using his own child in his alchemy experiments was one of the most disgusting things Roy could think of.

Mustang glanced at Hawkeye who was busily doing her paperwork and he frowned, wondering how he would go about telling her. There was no way he could hide something like this from her, nor would he want to. She wasn't a child to coddle and hide away from all the bad things in the world, even though he certainly did want to hide her away and protect her, but she would find out about this particular incident anyway and he knew it would affect her to some degree. He could only hope she wouldn't be too distraught by it.

Edward seemed to be too upset and couldn't finish his report of the situation, stumbling over words and taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself.

"Thank you for informing me, Fullmetal." Roy cut in when he realized Ed was in no state to continue speaking about the subject. "Sit tight, someone will be there to get you shortly. You can explain everything when you get here."

Mustang hung up the phone and looked up to see his team staring at him.

"Havoc, I need you to pick up Fullmetal from the Tucker residence."

"Again?" Havoc muttered. "And didn't he just get there? Why not just send Hawkeye?"

Roy's eyes darted over to Riza who also seemed to be wondering why he hadn't asked her to go. She understood the last time, but there was no reason not to send her this time.

Roy frowned then focused on Havoc again.

"Just go get the kid, Havoc."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be back."

Havoc stuffed his hands into his pockets to find a cigarette and walked out, lighting it as he went.

"What was that about, sir?" Riza asked, still wondering why he hadn't sent her to retrieve Ed and Al.

Roy pursed his lips and considered his words before replying.

"Edward ran into some...trouble. He'll explain the matter when he gets here."

An hour later, Edward, Alphonse, and Havoc shuffled into the office and the atmosphere was immediately heavy and filled of gloom upon their arrival. Roy stood as soon as they entered and motioned for Ed and Al to go to his inner office. They did so without a word and Havoc sat slowly at his desk, cigarette dangling from his mouth. Riza was about to protest about his smoking in the office, but the look on the second lieutenant's face gave her pause and she decided to just let it go.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, would you join us in my office please?"

Riza looked up and nodded quickly. She shut the door upon entering the inner office then went to stand at her usual place on Roy's left, and though she wondered what had happened to make everyone so visibly upset, she refrained from asking anything. If she needed to know what was going on, Roy would surely tell her.

"You contacted investigations, right?" Roy asked once the boys were seated in front of his desk.

"Yeah," Ed replied, voice gruff and quiet. He was not nearly as chipper and full of life as he usually was. "They showed up to put him under house arrest just before we left."

"Good."

Riza glanced down at Roy, once again eyeing him curiously.

"Would you please explain what happened, Fullmetal? You weren't very clear over the phone."

Ed stiffened and Al's armor creaked as he slumped in his seat, both boys staring at the ground.

The rain hammered the windows and roof making the scene seem even more ominous. How fitting that it should be raining on such a day.

"When we got to the Tucker place, it was so quiet. We couldn't find N...anyone." Ed flinched, unable to say her name. "We found Tucker upstairs, but his...his daughter and her dog weren't anywhere. That was when he showed us the chimaera he created. It spoke and I almost thought it was amazing, until... I realized what that man had done...What he did to his own kid." Ed's voice broke and he had to take a deep breath before he could continue. "He...That bastard turned his own daughter and dog into a damn chimaera!"

Roy's eyes slid to look up at Riza. Her face was only mildly alarmed and belied nothing of the emotions that suddenly surged through her. She nearly flinched at Ed's words, but sucked in a breath and held it, keeping her composure. But Roy knew. He could see it in her eyes. This news had affected her.

"Go home, both of you." Roy said calmly. "We'll deal with this situation from here."

Ed nodded weakly and he and Al stood, walking out of the office in a daze.

When the boys were gone, Roy turned to face Riza, looking up at her with concern.

"I need to go and check on the situation. You don't need to come with me if…"

"Why wouldn't I go with you, sir? It's my job."

Riza's response surprised Roy and his eyes widened for a moment before narrowing in concern again. Her voice was level and calm and it only made him want to jump from his seat and pull her to him in a tight embrace.

"As you wish," he said instead, standing and grabbing his coat. "Let's go."

Riza nodded, plucking her coat from the coat rack as they left.

"If there is such a thing as 'the work of the Devil,' this was it," Riza said as she and Roy stepped out of Headquarters and into the rain.

Roy stole a quick look back at Riza before continuing toward the stairs that led down from the main building.

"'The Devil,' huh? To put it bluntly, all state alchemists are the military's human weapons. We do what they want, we obey orders, and we don't complain if our hands get dirty in the process… My point being that when it comes to messing with human lives, Tucker's actions aren't so different from our own."

"That's the logic of an adult, sir. Even though Edward acts older than his years, he's still a child."

"Yes, but the path that he's chosen will no doubt lead to hardships greater than he faced today. He has to move forward, even if it means forcing himself to understand and accept it… Isn't that right, Fullmetal?" Roy and Riza paused when they neared the boys sitting on the steps in the rain. "How long do you plan on staying depressed? Even though people call you a 'dog of the military' and a 'devil,' it was _you_ who chose to keep studying alchemy. You _chose_ to join the military when you could have just lived the rest of your life as best you can with the body you have. Can you afford to be held back by something so small?"

"Shut up." Ed shot back, gritting his teeth and gripping his coat tighter around himself. "'Something so small…?' You're right, people may call us dogs or devils, but Al and I will get our original bodies back... But we're not devils or gods," Ed stood and clenched his hands into fists, turning his head and shouting toward the weeping heavens as Roy and Riza walked passed. "We're humans! And we can't even save one little girl! We're just pathetic human beings…"

"Go home and rest," Roy said, glancing back at Ed briefly. "You'll catch a cold."

 **000000**

The tension during the silent car ride home from the Tucker residence was so thick and palpable, Roy almost wanted to grab hold of it and chuck it out the window. Maybe stomp on it and light it aflame for good measure.

Quiet between Roy and Riza was very rarely uncomfortable, but that evening, both of them were filled with less than pleasant memories and the grim and uncomfortable air permeating the car was nearly suffocating. Roy kept looking at Riza out of the corner of his eye. She appeared to be concentrating on driving carefully through the rain, but Roy could tell her thoughts were far away from the present. Roy wasn't sure how to break the silence. What happened to Nina Tucker hit far too close to home for her and he knew it. Even if she denied that anything was wrong every time he asked, he knew it bothered her. But he also knew that she preferred to deal with her trauma by isolating herself and if she didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't push her. He didn't want to make things worse and she would talk to him if she needed to. Wouldn't she?

"You sure you're okay?"

Riza sighed in exasperation.

"For the last time, sir, yes." Riza's reply was a little more forceful than she had intended and she was almost as startled by it as Roy. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."

"No, no," Roy waved her off, turning to look out the window again as Riza pulled up to the curb outside his building. "It's fine. I shouldn't be bothering you so much. It's been a long day. Good night, Lieutenant. I'll see you in the morning."

Riza frowned after him as he got out of the car.

"Good night, Colonel."

Neither Roy nor Riza slept well that night. Riza suffered from visions of her past whenever she closed her eyes and drifted off, and Roy couldn't stop worrying about her, fighting every instinct he had that screamed at him to run to her and hold her and comfort her the way he knew she needed.

 **000000**

Riza arrived early the next morning to pick Roy up. They needed to meet the investigations team to interview Shou Tucker and Riza was not about to let Roy show up late, no matter how little sleep she had gotten. To her surprise, Roy walked out of his building almost as soon as she pulled up. He must have been waiting for her and it was a little concerning. Roy was almost never up and ready to go to work as soon as she arrived. The Colonel always stalled as long as possible, even on the days she picked him up and it made her wonder if he slept just as poorly that night as she did.

The bags under both of their eyes were nearly identical, but both acted as if nothing was wrong, like it was just a normal day.

"Good morning, Lieutenant."

Riza nodded.

"Colonel."

"Once we get to the Tucker residence, I'm going to need you to go to the office to get some files for me. I would have you stop there on the way, but it's in the opposite direction and I'm needed there as soon as possible to oversee this interrogation."

"Yes, sir."

They arrived at their destination to discover they must have been the first to show up. There were only two cars parked in front of the house, presumably belonging to the officers in charge of guarding the house to ensure Tucker didn't try to flee. Riza parked behind one of the cars and she and Roy got out, made their way to the front gate, entered the yard, and were greeted by a sight neither of them were expecting and it made their breath catch in their throats.

Two horribly mangled bodies lay in front of the house, blood pooling around them and oozing down the front steps. One officer heard Roy and Riza approach and turned to salute.

"Colonel Mustang, thank goodness you've arrived."

"What happened here?" Roy demanded, the shock quickly leaving him only to be replaced by confusion and anger.

"Sir, my partner and I were coming to switch places with the guards on duty here, but when we arrived this morning, this is what we found."

"Did Tucker do this?" Riza asked, wondering if the man had killed the guards in order to escape. If he was crazy enough to use his own family in his experiments, he might have been crazy enough to try to run from his subsequent punishment.

The officer shook his head as Roy and Riza pushed passed him to enter the house.

"No, he…"

The officer did not get to finish his sentence before Roy and Riza rushed up the stairs to make sure Tucker was still where he should have been.

Had they waited just a few minutes for the officer to explain things, it might have saved them a lot of grief.

They reached the room Tucker had been confined to and found the door was left wide open and the stench of copper and rot reached their noses. It wasn't nearly as bad outside, but in the house, the air was stagnant and there was no place for the smell to vent and escape. The scent wasn't bad enough to make them sick quite yet, but it was strong enough that they could deduce an approximate time of death. Tucker and Nina must have been dead for hours by that point, possibly since the evening before.

The two officers that had been first to the scene entered the room, now accompanied by some of the investigations team who had arrived for Tucker's interrogation. The investigations team began asking questions, some directed at Mustang, but Roy only had eyes for Riza.

Hawkeye was visibly shaken to anyone that gave her even a passing glance. It was bad enough that the incident involved an insane father who used his own daughter, seemingly without care. That had been enough to have effects on Riza and dredge up memories she'd rather keep buried, but to run in and see that same father and daughter as unrecognizable splotches on the ground was enough to send Riza's mind reeling. Memories of her father, the tattoo, Ishval, and Roy burning her back all hit her with such force, she nearly stumbled back. She covered her mouth with her hand, taking a deep breath and turning away from the scene.

"I'll go get the files you needed, sir," Riza said, sounding for all the world like the whole incident didn't bother her in the least.

As always, Roy knew better, and once again, he had to resist the urge to run up to her and hug her. Surrounded by so many people, he could only stare helplessly after her as she hurried out of the room.

The rest of the day went from bad to worse. Roy was forced to ignore the fact that Riza was potentially on the verge of having a breakdown once Hughes informed them that he was actually in town investigating a serial killer that had been targeting state alchemists. Mustang and Tucker were the only well known state alchemists in East, and with Tucker having been killed, that left Roy in very serious danger and it put Riza even more on edge. Of course, then they remembered that Ed was also wandering around the area and a frantic search for the brothers began.

"Damn," Roy muttered as Riza drove him and Havoc to the location where Ed and Al had supposedly been spotted. "We need to come up with some way to get that killer away from those kids."

He and Riza shared a look as the car screeched to a stop. Yards away, the serial killer was reaching down toward Edward who knelt lifeless and defeated on the ground, and Alphonse was yelling from an alleyway, voice desperate and fearful.

"Just follow my lead," Roy said to Riza as they got out of the car in a hurry.

 **000000**

When Roy couldn't find Riza after they returned to East Headquarters once the state alchemist killer, Scar, escaped, he knew something was wrong. She disappeared shortly after they decided on sending Edward back to Resembool to see his mechanic with Armstrong as a bodyguard. The rest of the team also left for the day, including Hughes who was needed back in Central. After saying goodbye to his friend, it was then Roy noticed the absence of his lieutenant.

That's how he found himself sopping wet and standing at the door to her apartment, hand poised and ready to knock. He paused for a moment, glanced around, then reached into his pocket, producing a key. Roy wasn't sure she would even answer if he or anyone knocked on her door and it was probably better to just enter without knocking anyway. Knocking would create too much noise and he was trying to be as discreet as possible with this visit. Drawing attention to himself on an impromptu visit to his subordinate's apartment was the last thing he needed.

He cursed under his breath when he almost dropped the key, but managed to enter her apartment without being noticed and was thankful for that bit of luck on a day that had been filled with nothing but problems.

Her apartment was mostly dark and he had to squint to find a dining chair he could drape his wet coat over. He removed his boots and uniform jacket as well before searching for Riza. He found Hayate laying in the hallway outside Riza's bathroom, ears back, whining quietly. He was obviously distressed and must have been feeling the negative emotions coming from his master. This concerned Roy even more and he stepped up to the bathroom door, knocking twice.

"It's me," he said just loud enough for her to hopefully hear him.

There was silence that followed his words and he could hear faint sloshing of water beyond the door. After a few more moments, he was about to speak again, but stopped when he heard Riza's voice, so quiet and meek it made his breath hitch. He couldn't remember a time her voice had sounded so...broken.

"Come in…" was all she said and Roy only hesitated for a moment before entering the bathroom.

Riza was in the bathtub hugging her knees to her chest, forehead resting on her knees just above the water. The image broke his heart and, without a second thought, Roy closed the distance between them, kneeling next to the tub, reaching over and pulling her to him until her head rested against his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders, one hand gently stroking her hair.

"I've got you…" he muttered as he placed a kiss on the crown of her head.

A soft sob escaped her and she shook as she cried quietly, clinging to Roy's shirt.

"This whole thing is just… And then you were so reckless you almost got yourself killed… And, and he's still out there somewhere and you're not safe and I… I can't lose you."

"Shhh, it's going to be fine. I'm not _that_ useless, you know."

Trying to make light of the situation was an impossible endeavor though. There would be no calming Riza that night.

After several minutes of holding her like that, the tub water grew cold and Roy reached for the drain to empty it. He slowly and gently released her so he could get a towel for her. He held it open in front of her and diverted his gaze as she finally took notice of what he was doing and stood from the tub, stepping out toward the towel. Roy wrapped the towel around her and pulled her back into his arms, leading her from the bathroom to her bedroom so she could change into something comfortable. He pulled a night shirt out of the drawer he knew she stored her pajamas in, but she shook her head, gripping the towel tight around herself.

She stepped over to the drawer and reached in to pull out the button up shirt he kept there. He had forgotten she used it to sleep in whenever she was feeling unwell or upset and he smiled faintly at the notion as he turned away from her so she could change, turning around again only when he heard the rustling of fabric and the creak of her mattress. She had climbed into bed and bundled up under the blankets and he went to her side, laying on the bed beside her and running his hand through her hair in a soothing gesture.

"I can't stay," he muttered to her as she rested her head on his shoulder, eyes red and puffy. He reached to wipe a few stray tears from her cheeks and she nodded. Of course she knew he couldn't stay, she was usually the one who was adamant about him leaving. But tonight… tonight she wanted him to stay with her. Needed the comfort of his presence more than she had in a long time. "But you know I'm only a phone call away."

"Mn," Riza mumbled. "I know."

After a while, Riza's breathing grew slow and steady and Roy looked down at her sleeping face sadly. He kissed her softly before disentangling himself from her side and creeping out of her room in an effort to not disturb her. Hayate followed him to the door and Roy bent down to pet the pup before he left.

"Take care of her for me," Roy said, scratching Hayate behind the ears.

Roy stood straight again, took one last longing look at Riza's sleeping form, and left the apartment, silently vowing to protect her from ever hurting like that again so long as he could help it.

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I opted not to include the fight with Scar since I'm pretty sure everyone reading this fic knows what happened.

If you like this fic, don't forget to leave a review. Feedback is loved and appreciated! Thanks for reading and see you next chapter.


	29. Family

Look, I could _not_ think of anything for this chapter, but I needed _something_ between the last chapter and the one I have planned next, so I edited a drabble I wrote for someone on Tumblr and used it to fill this in, so if you recognize some of this, that's why. (All of my drabbles and one shots are set in this fic's timeline anyway, so it does fit, I just didn't write it specifically for this fic.)

I'm sorry I'm being lazy with it, I just didn't want to make you guys wait any longer or give you something super short and crappy. I also wanted to update this for FMA Day, which is today. So have some fluff. I think Roy and Riza need it after last chapter. lol

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Riza stood outside and shivered. She was clad only in her pajamas and slippers with a black overcoat tightly wrapped around herself. Hayate sat loyally at her heels while they watched as flames licked away at her apartment building and firefighters slowly attempted to put the fire out. It hadn't reached her apartment and probably wouldn't, so that was positive and something she chalked up to pure luck.

The fire had begun two floors below her and the fire department was called in enough time that damage was minimal to the other floors, but the amount of smoke to air out and the clean up required would take a few days and the owners of the apartment building informed everyone that they would have to find another place to stay over the weekend until the damage had been repaired as there was no way to get to the upper floors until they fixed the stairwell.

Riza sighed and looked down at Hayate with a frown. What a troublesome inconvenience.

"Well, come on Hayate," she said, the annoyance clear in her tone. "Let's go see if we can find a place to stay."

The shiba inu cocked his head to the side and wagged his tail. She bent down to pat his head before turning to shuffle down the street, her slippers making it hard to walk with her usual military posture. Because of this, it took her longer to reach her destination than it normally would have, and when she finally arrived, it was after midnight.

Riza sighed and knocked on the apartment door, hoping Roy, the owner of said apartment, wasn't asleep yet. He lived the closest to her out of the entire team and that, coupled with the fact that his was the only apartment building in the area other than hers that allowed pets, made Roy Mustang the obvious choice for who she would stay with over the weekend.

At first, Riza didn't hear any sounds coming from inside and she frowned, thinking she'd have to stand out in the hall all night knocking until Roy finally heard and woke up. He could be a heavy sleeper so it wasn't all that impossible that he wouldn't hear her at the door all night.

Thankfully, a few moments later, she heard footfalls on the other side of the door followed by a grumble of what she thought was 'just a minute.'

The door opened and Roy stood there, obviously having just gotten out of bed, his hair and pajamas were disheveled and his expression was tired. As soon as he saw her though, his face lit up and he smiled as he took in her appearance.

"Lieutenant!" Roy said, standing a little straighter and leaning slightly on the door frame. "I know I'm irresistible, but I didn't think you'd be so forward." Riza's frown deepened at that, but before she could speak, Roy continued. "I would be _more_ than happy to entertain you this evening though. In fact, nothing would make me happier." he grinned and winked at her, but her unamused expression didn't change.

"Are you trying to flirt?" she deadpanned, seemingly unaffected by Mustang's charms. "Because, you're just embarrassing yourself."

His flirting and adorable grin did actually have an effect on her, but she'd never admit that out loud.

Riza stared at him while Hayate took the opportunity to dance around Roy's feet, hoping to be pet. Roy wasn't paying attention to the pup however as he glowered at Riza, obviously upset that she shot him down. His flirting always worked, but never on her. He thought for sure he would have gotten some kind of reaction out of her this time, but once again, she was impervious to his attempts.

"You're so cruel," Mustang whined, arms flopping to his sides in defeat, posture slumping again. "So... Why _are_ you here?"

Riza explained her situation and Roy almost laughed at her plight of being forced to ask if she could stay at his place, but refrained for fear of being subjected to even more paperwork than usual for the next week. He instead just smiled softly and moved aside, gesturing into his apartment with one arm.

"Of course you can stay here this weekend," he said gently. "You know you're always welcome, no matter the circumstances."

Riza nodded, a ghost of a smile tugging at her lips as she stepped into his apartment after Hayate, who already was making himself comfortable on the rug in the living room.

"Thank you, sir," she replied quietly after he shut the door behind her.

 **000000**

Roy Mustang couldn't think of anything he enjoyed much more than kissing Riza Hawkeye.

They had been surprisingly docile in their show of affection the first day she stayed with him, but that evening, when she returned from a quick walk with Hayate, Roy couldn't contain himself and as soon as Riza removed Hayate's leash, he wrapped his arms around her and began smothering her in kisses.

The moments they were able to share together were few and far between as of late, but it made Roy cherish them that much more and as he held Riza close, crushing her to him, desperate, aching, relishing the way he felt in her arms, he knew there was nowhere else he'd rather be.

A knock on the door startled them and they pulled away from each other, breathless and, in Roy's case, annoyed at the interruption. It was rare for Riza to be at his apartment so _of course_ someone would show up when she actually happened to be there. Riza exchanged a quick look with Roy, one full of both disappointment and nervousness, before hurrying into Roy's room to hide.

Sighing, Roy straightened his shirt and opened the door.

"Roy!"

Roy blinked, clearly surprised at who exactly his visitor was.

"Hughes?" Roy said, disbelief evident in his tone. "I thought you went back to Central?"

"I did, but they called me back this morning. They had a sighting of that Scar fellow, but it ended up being a dead end. I heard they're putting you in charge of finding him though so I'm sure we'll have him behind bars soon. Took so long to follow that trail today that I missed the last train back to Central, so I'll be staying here until the morning. So I thought I'd stop by and see you!"

After his long winded and quickly spoken explanation, Hughes swept Roy up in a tight hug that Roy returned without hesitation.

"It's always good to see you," Roy said, chuckling. Then he remembered Riza was hiding in his apartment and his grin quickly turned to a worried frown. But it was just Hughes. His best friend would never rat them out, Roy was positive of that. It would be fine if Hughes saw her in his apartment, right? "You're more than welcome to visit anytime, _Hughes_."

Roy spoke loud enough for Riza to hear him and he hoped she understood what he was trying to convey. After waiting a few seconds, he stepped back from the door and allowed Hughes inside. Hughes clapped his shoulder and grinned, stepping into the apartment and abruptly stopping, staring into the living room in mild surprise.

"Hawkeye?"

Roy sighed quietly in relief. Riza figured out what he was trying to tell her by emphasising Hughes' name. He wasn't sure why he was worried in the first place. She always seemed to know what he was thinking.

Having Hughes see her right away was far easier to explain than her just suddenly walking out of Roy's room. This way, they might actually get away with some kind of excuse and Hughes would possibly never figure things out.

Apparently Roy did not know his best friend as well as he thought.

"Hello Lieutenant Colonel," Riza said, smiling lightly. "It's good to see you."

"Ah, likewise! I wasn't expecting anyone else to be here..."

Hughes eyed Roy and raised a brow and Roy glared back at him.

"I stopped by to drop off some work the colonel had forgotten and I stayed to help him complete it faster."

It was a lame excuse, Riza knew, but it was all she or even Roy could think of on such short notice. Thankfully, she _had_ actually sent Roy to bring home paperwork to do while she stayed with him, knowing he'd probably fall behind otherwise thanks to being put in charge of the Scar case, so there was a stack of papers on the coffee table to help back up her claim. She would have probably even been working on it if Roy had just kept his hands to himself.

"Oh, well then, I'm sorry I interrupted," Hughes said, reaching into his coat pocket. "But, have I shown you these new photos of Elicia yet?!" Roy groaned when Hughes pulled out a stack of pictures and Riza just smiled. "Her birthday is next week! Will you two be able to make it? I can't believe it, my little angel is going to be three! She's growing up so fast!"

Roy sighed.

"Yes, yes, that's wonderful, but we won't be able to make it. I've got a lot more work now that they've put me in charge of the Scar investigation out here."

"You know we would have come, but you'll have to give Elicia our love for us."

"Ah, that's a shame," Hughes said, putting the pictures back into his pocket. "How about we celebrate tonight?!"

Hughes wrapped his arm around Roy's shoulder and grinned at Riza.

"Did you not hear me?" Roy asked, elbowing Hughes in the side. "We have work we need to finish up."

"Work shmerk, that can wait. Friends are more important!"

Riza laughed lightly and shrugged.

"I suppose we could put this off for a little while, don't you think, sir?"

Roy blinked at Riza in surprise. That was something he never thought he'd hear come out of Hawkeye's mouth.

"See, Roy? Even she thinks we should party!"

Roy threw his hands up in defeat.

"All right, I'll get the bourbon."

"Yes!" Hughes exclaimed when he saw the label on the bottle Roy pulled out of his kitchen cabinet. "I knew you still kept the good stuff around."

"Of course," Roy smirked.

He poured three glasses, passing one to Hughes and Riza before raising his own.

"To Elicia!" Hughes said, a huge smile on his face.

"To friendship!"

Riza smiled softly at Roy and Hughes. She felt happy. Like she belonged. Like she was home.

"To family."

The three friends smiled and laughed and drank their bourbon well into the night, forgetting all about the paperwork in favor of spending time with those they held dear.


	30. Dear Friends

"Looks like she fell asleep."

It was after midnight when Maes noticed Riza was being awfully quiet, even for her. He and Roy had been so engrossed in their discussion about their time at the academy that they hadn't payed much attention to whether or not Riza was still listening. She was usually quiet anyway so nether thought anything of it, until Hughes glanced her way and saw her head tilted back, resting on the back of the couch. Her eyes were closed, breathing soft and even.

"That's because your topics of conversation are so boring."

They both chuckled and Maes stood, setting his empty glass on the coffee table.

"I suppose that's my cue to leave. It's gotten late and I need to be up early to catch my train."

"Right then," Roy stood and walked Hughes to the door. "Have a safe trip back home. Give a hug to Gracia and Elicia for us."

"Will do!" Maes stopped just before opening the door and turned to glance at Riza before looking back to Roy. "You two…"

"No," Roy interrupted, knowing exactly where Hughes was going. "It's not like that."

Hughes grinned, a knowing twinkle in his eye.

"Mhmm, whatever you say." He opened the door and stepped out into the cool evening air. "I'll see you later."

Roy glared after his friend. Maes was far too intuitive and observant for his own good. Though in a way, he was almost happy his best friend knew or thought he knew about Roy and Riza being more than just superior and subordinate. Roy probably would have told Hughes all about it if he could, but, even though he was positive Hughes would never say anything, Roy's relationship with Riza was something they couldn't simply talk about.

Maybe one day he could tell Maes not to bother him anymore about getting a wife because he pretty much already had one, but that day was a long ways down the road.

Roy sighed and went back into his apartment, shutting the door as softly as he could. He padded across the carpet to Riza and gently lifted her, trying very hard not to wake her as he moved her to his bed where he tucked her in. Hayate, who had been sleeping at Riza's feet, jumped onto the bed next to his master. Roy eyed the dog and frowned.

"This isn't your bed…" Hayate just stared up at him, cocking his head and putting on his best innocent look. Roy sighed and pat the dog's head. "Fine, but this is the only time. I'm not letting you on my bed ever again, you hear me?'

Hayate ignored Roy as he curled up at Riza's side and instantly fell asleep. Roy smiled at the two of them, silently wishing he was in Hayate's place, before turning and leaving the room to sleep on the couch.

 **000000**

Roy woke to the smell of bacon and eggs wafting over to him from the kitchen. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and sat up, yawning and stretching. Glancing up at the clock on the wall, he saw that it was seven AM sharp and he grinned, standing from the couch and shuffling over to the kitchen where he found Riza at the stove, flipping eggs in a pan in front of her. She smiled softly when she saw him out of the corner of her eye, but she did not look away from what she was doing.

"Good morning, thank you for letting me sleep on your bed last night."

"No problem. I've been wanting you to use my bed all weekend."

"There was no need, the couch was fine. I was the one imposing after all."

"There you go again," Roy mock scowled at her, crossing his arms. "You aren't imposing at all. Especially not when you cook me breakfast."

Riza laughed lightly, flipping the eggs onto plates with bacon, handing one to Roy. He took the plate gratefully, sending her a wide, appreciative grin before sitting down at his table.

Eating breakfast was a quiet affair, reminiscent of the days he was an apprentice. Roy slipped Hayate a piece of bacon under the table, but Riza caught him in the act and frowned, silently scolding him with a glare.

"You spoil him too much."

"He deserves it. He's obedient, loyal…" Riza rolled her eyes, but her frown turned to an almost sad smile at his next words. "And looks out for you when I can't be there."

Riza stood without a word and cleared the table of their empty plates. Roy jumped up and followed her into the kitchen.

"I can do that! You already cooked, so I should be the one to clean up."

"I'll do it, I have to earn my keep while staying here."

Roy grinned and stepped up behind her as she filled the sink with soapy water. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder, muttering in her ear.

"You know, there are better ways to repay me for letting you stay here."

Riza just glared at him as best she could from her angle.

"I think there was plenty of that yesterday before Lieutenant Colonel Hughes arrived."

Roy groaned and hid his face in her shoulder.

"That wasn't nearly enough. You've been here two whole days and all we did was paperwork."

"Just because I was staying here doesn't mean we can push our luck. What if someone other than the lieutenant colonel came by? What we had been doing was pretty obvious. I'm positive he suspected us…"

Roy released Riza and stepped back with a sigh, sitting on the counter behind her while she washed the dishes.

"I'm so tired of having to jump through hoops just to be together…"

"Well, you should have thought of that before we started all this. But… it's better than nothing, isn't it?"

Riza's voice was quiet and Roy smiled softly at her.

"Everything is worth it for you, though."

Riza smiled ruefully down at the soapy water that drained from the sink, reaching for a rag to dry the dishes. She finished drying them quickly and turned to face Roy.

"Just as you are worth hell." Roy met Riza's gaze. They stared at each other solemnly, each not believing that they were worth as much as the other thought. But that was something they never spoke about and it was a conversation probably best left for another day. "I should go, sir. They said my apartment building should be back to normal by this evening and I have some errands to run."

"All right."

Roy jumped down from the counter and helped Riza gather her things.

"I'll leave my night shirt here," Riza said when Roy went to hand her her pajamas and slippers. This made Roy smile at her suggestively and she rolled her eyes, though couldn't keep from grinning at his ridiculousness. She picked up the paperwork they had completed over the weekend and held it to her chest as Roy walked her to the door. "Thank you again for letting me stay with you during this whole mess."

"There's no need to thank me, I enjoyed having you stay with me. In fact... I'd rather you stayed here _all_ the time."

Riza frowned at his comment. What he was suggesting was crossing a dangerous line.

"You know I can't do that."

Roy sighed and brushed Riza's bangs gently from her eyes.

"I know, but I can dream, right?"

Riza shook her head, her smile barely visible.

"I'll see you at work tomorrow, sir. Come on Hayate."

Roy waved as Riza and Hayate left his building. He was not looking forward to the loneliness of his apartment without her.

 **000000**

Riza clutched the stack of paperwork in one hand and Hayate's leash in the other as she walked out of Roy's apartment building. The paperwork was something that could deflect suspicion should someone she knew see her coming from the colonel's apartment and it was a good thing she thought of it. No sooner than she stepped out of the building did she hear a familiar voice calling her name.

"Yoo hoo! Riza!" Riza was surprised to see her friend Rebecca smiling and waving and hurrying toward her. "What are you doing? Isn't this Colonel Jerk Face's apartment building?"

Riza nodded, poker face in place.

"Yes. I was just picking up some paperwork he needed to finish."

"He's making you work even on the weekends? What a devil!"

Riza smiled and shook her head.

"It's fine, I don't mind. I had nothing better to do anyway."

"You're too good to him, you know that?" Rebecca huffed. "So do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"

Riza looked up thoughtfully for a few moments.

"I _do_ need to get Elicia a birthday present…"

Rebecca brightened up and clasped her hands together.

"Ooh, I would love to help you shop for her! Your niece is the cutest!"

Riza chuckled at Rebecca's enthusiasm.

"All right, let me just take this paperwork and Hayate back to my apartment."

"Oh yeah! I heard about your building. Why didn't you ask to stay with me?"

Ah, the subject Riza had been trying to avoid.

"Well, you live all the way across town. I would never have made it there at a reasonable hour in my slippers, which were the only shoes I managed to grab in my rush to leave the building."

"Oh… well, that's true I guess… It would have taken you forever to get to my place shuffling around in slippers. So where did you stay?"

"A hotel."

Riza's response was immediate and probably sounded very suspicious, but thankfully Rebecca didn't seem to notice anything odd about her answer. They continued walking to Riza's apartment at a leisurely pace, chatting about random things. Riza left the paperwork on her dining table when they arrived at her place. She fed and watered Hayate, patting him on the head and telling him to be good before leaving again with Rebecca to find a gift for Elicia.

"What kinds of things does Elicia like?" Rebecca asked as they wandered toward the cute little shops in downtown East City.

"Hmm, I know she loves pretty dresses and playing 'tea party,' but her dad buys her everything so it's hard to shop for something she doesn't have, even with knowing what she likes."

"Well, we could… Oh look! That shop has such cute dresses! Come on!"

Rebecca spied a shop with dresses and other clothes and accessories and she grabbed Riza's hand and pulled her into the store excitedly.

"These _are_ very cute," Riza agreed with her friend, reaching for one of the child size dresses and running her hand over the fabric. "Maybe Elicia would like one of these."

"Wow! And I'd bet you'd like one of _these_."

Riza looked up at Rebecca who was holding a beautiful strapless, ankle length dress. It was lilac, her favorite color, and was one of the most elegant dresses Riza had ever seen. But the back of the dress was cut low enough that her tattoo would stick out almost completely. It was such a disappointment.

"It's a beautiful color, but...It's not really my style. Maybe something with a higher neck line would suit me better."

"No way, Riza! This is a beautiful dress and it would look amazing on you and you know it."

Riza smiled and shook her head.

"Maybe, but... it really just isn't my thing."

Rebecca sighed.

"All right, all right. But I really think it would look great on you."

Riza sighed as Rebecca went to put the dress back on the rack she got it from. She had a feeling Roy would have agreed with Rebecca and urged her to buy the dress, but Riza probably would have told him the same thing.

Why did even little things like buying new clothes have to turn into something so difficult and uncomfortable? This was why she always went by herself or with Roy. No one to hide things from if it was just the two of them.

Riza and Rebecca found an adorable dress for Elicia a while later and as they left the store, Rebecca suggested they go for lunch. Riza happily agreed and they stopped at a small cafe the two of them frequented. They enjoyed their lunch while Rebecca complained about how hard it was to find a decent guy and Riza just chuckled and shook her head, knowing her friend was only partly serious. Rebecca had a thing for Jean Havoc, Riza was sure of that, just like she was sure Havoc was interested in Rebecca. Riza wondered why the two of them didn't just go out already, but then again, she was one to talk. As far as anyone else knew, Riza Hawkeye was single and uninterested in anyone.

After lunch, the two women parted ways and Riza went home to take Hayate for a walk, shower, and get things ready for work the next morning.

 **000000**

It seemed like Roy could not stop staring at Riza at work. It was certainly unusual. They were both exceptional at hiding their feelings in public, but for some reason, Roy could not hide the absolute adoration and longing in his eyes whenever he looked at Riza one particular day later in the week, and she was sure she caught him sighing while looking at her several times. It was beginning to distract her from her work, and she was not having any of it.

"Did you need something, _sir_?" Riza asked after the rest of the team had left for lunch.

Roy returned her stern glare with a look that made Riza's cheeks burn and her stomach somersault.

"You."

His answer was immediate and unexpected and her eyes widened at how forward he was being, especially considering where they were.

"That's not funny…" Riza muttered, staring at Roy in disbelief.

"I wasn't trying to be funny."

He was serious, the look in his dark eyes nearly undid her and she steeled herself against the onslaught of emotions rolling off of him.

"Stop being an idiot," Riza huffed. "This is no place for that kind of talk."

Riza stood and walked briskly to the door, unable to keep calm under his gaze any longer.

"I'm going to lunch."

She had hoped that the intensity of his stare would mellow out as the day progressed, but if anything, it only got worse. Especially when a certain someone called him a little after lunch, telling Roy to get a wife. It always seemed to annoy him and he'd slam the phone down in irritation, but his eyes would find Riza every time, and this time, he couldn't help but think of how things might have been different for them if things hadn't happened the way they did. Would they be married by now? Living in some small town happily, able to show their affections openly rather than with stolen moments or having to come up with excuses as to why they were seen together? Maybe in another life, if they were different people.

The day seemed to drag on and Roy still couldn't stop glancing at Riza every few minutes, mind filled with thoughts of them together and happy. His chest ached with his want to sweep her into his arms and never let her go. He wasn't sure why his feelings were so strong and overwhelming that particular day, but he could not get Riza off his mind. He just wanted to go back to her place and kiss her and hold her and tell her how much she meant to him.

The day couldn't end soon enough.

When evening finally arrived, Roy's team said their goodbyes and headed home, but he and Riza stayed behind to finish up a few things, as they did quite often. It was right when he was about to ask Riza to leave a little earlier with him that the phone rang and he sighed, answering it with an annoyed huff. The woman connecting the call said it was from Hughes and he told her to put him through.

"Listen Hughes, I'm at work, so if you're just going to brag about your family, I'm going to hang up." When Roy did not hear his friend's cheery voice, but silence and the click of the phone hanging up, he frowned and a feeling of unease settled over him. "Hughes? Are you there? Hughes?"

Riza could hear the worry in his tone and looked on in concern as Roy slowly hung up the phone, brow furrowed in confusion.

"What happened, sir?"

Roy looked up at Riza and shook his head.

"I don't know… It should have been Hughes but… No one answered."

"Well...Maybe the secretary connected the call wrong?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

Riza stood, pulling on her coat and walked over to Roy's desk.

"Let's just go home, Colonel."

Roy nodded and pulled on his coat.

"All right."

Riza was thankful it had been chilly enough that Roy drove to work that day, because the way he was acting, so distant and distracted, made her wonder if he would have ever been able to walk home without walking into traffic or tripping over something and getting himself injured because he was lost in his thoughts.

She was almost startled when he suddenly spoke as she pulled the car out onto the street.

"Would it be okay if I went to your place for a bit?"

If he had asked that question earlier, Riza would have flat out said no. With the way he had been acting all day, she knew he'd want to spend the night, and that was heading into dangerous territory. It was too risky and she would never have agreed to it.

But now? He seemed anxious and didn't want to be alone. She couldn't deny him something as simple as her company so she nodded.

"Yes, that would be fine with me. Did you want to call the lieutenant colonel when we get there?"

Roy shook his head, continuing to stare out the window, not looking at Riza.

"No, it's late, I don't want to bother them and wake Elicia. I'll just call him in the morning."

When they reached her apartment, instead of the heated and passionate evening Roy had been planning to spend with her all day, they simply sat on her couch, silently resting in each other's arms, unaware that one of their greatest friends and confidants had met with tragedy that night.

 **000000**

Sorry this took so long to get written! It's been half finished for a month, I just didn't have any motivation to finish it until yesterday. Next chapter is going to be full of feels and tears, so be prepared.


	31. Rain

Sorry I disappeared for a while and that it took so long to get this chapter out. Lack of motivation kept me from writing anything for over a month. Life has also been busy, but I will do my best to get back to updating at least once a week. You have a kind reviewer on AO3 to thank for this update. They gave me the motivation to start writing again.

I am jumping right into the feels immediately, so if you think it'll make you too sad, go ahead and skip this chapter entirely.

 **000000**

The sun shone brightly and there was barely a cloud in the sky as the funeral procession marched Maes Hughes to his final resting place.

It was much too beautiful a day to be burying the man that meant so much to Colonel Mustang. It should have been pouring rain. The world should have been mourning, just like Gracia, like Elicia, like Riza. Just like Roy. But then again, Hughes had always been cheerful and bright, one of the only rays of sunshine in Roy's otherwise gray world, so one could say the weather was indeed appropriate for saying goodbye to such a man. But the clear skies and warm sun did nothing to quell the storm raging in Roy Mustang's heart.

Elicia screamed and cried, Gracia cried and tried to calm her, and Riza stood steadfast by Roy's side. She was upset as well. Hughes was also her friend, but she knew she needed to be strong for Roy that day. She hoped her usual presence to his left and slightly behind was enough to ground him, to calm him even in the slightest, but even she could only do so much.

Roy stared ahead, eyes shielded by the brim of his cap, and grit his teeth, fighting against the onslaught of emotions bubbling up within him from the sound of Elicia and Gracia's crying. Even Riza's usually reassuring presence at his side did not do much to help. In fact, he barely noticed any of the others in attendance.

As the sun set, everyone slowly left the cemetery until only Roy was standing before Maes' grave.

"Specially promoted two ranks after being killed in the line of duty…" Roy muttered. "Brigadier General Hughes, huh? You said you were going to work under me and support me. What's the point if you surpass my rank? You idiot…"

"Colonel..."

Roy glanced behind him at the soft, familiar voice. Riza approached him and stopped at his side. He returned his gaze to his friend's gravestone, clutching his cap just a bit tighter.

"Alchemists are unpleasant creatures, aren't they, Lieutenant? I'm desperately putting together the theory of human transmutation in my head. I feel like I know how those boys felt when they tried to transmute their mother…"

Riza frowned, worriedly searching his face for any signs of how he was truly feeling. He seemed calm on the surface, but she knew he was probably far from okay.

"Are you all right?" she asked, the concern clear in her face and tone.

"Yeah…" Roy sighed, placing his cap back on his head, lifting his face so it shadowed his eyes once more. "Ah, it looks like it's going to rain."

Riza narrowed her brow as she looked up. The weather had not changed, only a few clouds dotting the darkening sky, and for a moment she was confused by what he meant.

"No… It doesn't look like rain…"

"No, it's definitely raining."

Her eyes widened as she caught sight of a single tear running down Roy's face and her chest tightened. She suddenly wanted nothing more than to take him into her arms to comfort him and let him release the pent up emotions she knew he was hiding. But in the middle of such a public place, with other officers possibly watching from the street behind them, all she could do was look down at Hughes' grave sadly and hope her presence beside him was enough.

"You're right," she replied softly. "Let's go back, it's getting cold out here."

 **000000**

Roy spent the rest of the evening hunting down as much information about what happened as he could. He learned quite a bit from the bits and pieces he saw and was informed of, but the most useful information he received that day came from Major Alex Armstrong. He had honestly not expected the man to know much about the incident, but it turned out he knew more than than Roy had thought. Mustang was grateful to Armstrong for letting him in discreetly and the knowledge he gained would be quite useful in in his pursuit of avenging Hughes.

After gaining that information, Roy and Riza headed back to their hotel. Roy had also mentioned to Riza that he was being transferred to Central, as it was the first time he had gotten the chance to do so since he'd found out. She had responded with congratulations and the affirmation that she would indeed continue to follow him, wondering what exactly he was thinking asking her that suddenly. He had to know she would always follow him, he didn't need to ask, and she had mentally rolled her eyes at the question. Her loyalty to him should never have been in question. Was he really feeling that insecure in light of what happened to his best friend and confidant? Riza had made a mental note to keep a close eye on him. She had a feeling he was suffering more than he was letting on.

They walked silently up the stairs to their rooms once they reached the hotel and Roy didn't even utter a 'good night' before entering his room and closing the door. Riza thought nothing of it, knowing he'd probably want a little space to think, and went to her own room. She saw the door joining her room to Roy's was still ajar slightly, exactly the way they had left it that morning. He hadn't closed it, so she took that as a good sign.

Roy wasn't acting in any way too concerning so she decided to take a shower to give him some time alone before she went to him to try to get him to talk to her. There was no way he didn't need someone to open up to about Hughes' death. Hughes had always been the first one Roy went to when he was upset. Now that he was gone, Riza vowed to be the one he could go to in order to talk out whatever was causing him stress. She preferred to keep to herself when she was upset, but she knew Roy was different. Roy needed someone to be there for him, someone he could vent to that would know what he was going through.

Her shower was rather quick, but she had still apparently taken too long. When she walked out of her bathroom while drying her hair, she noticed the door to Roy's room was closed. Riza frowned, lowering the towel in her hands and padding over to the door. She tested the knob and discovered that, as she had feared, the door was locked.

He _never_ locked the door joining their rooms when they stayed in hotels.

She took a deep breath, the rational part of her mind trying to convince her that there was no cause for alarm. She knocked on the door and softly called his rank. When she received no response, she tried again.

"Sir?"

There was still no answer and she began to worry. She suddenly realized she wasn't sure she could trust him to be alone under the current circumstances and she knew she had to get into his room somehow.

Thankfully, as usual, she had made sure to get a second key made for his room and she went to fetch it from her uniform coat pocket before heading out into the hallway and attempting to open his door. It worked, and she slowly pushed the door open, only to have it stop part way and bounce back with a rattle, nearly hitting her in the face. Roy had locked the door with the chain latch, effectively barring her from entering his room.

"Good night, Lieutenant," came Roy's voice from somewhere inside his room. He sounded almost...angry. "I don't want to be disturbed tonight."

Riza blinked and stared at the door for a moment in disbelief until the feeling of offense took over. Was he seriously locking her out? _Didn't want to be disturbed?_ Did he not think he could trust her with his emotions? All she wanted to do was comfort him. Was Maes really the only person he thought he could talk to about things?

Without a word, she shut the door again and went back to her own room, closing her door behind her a little harder than was necessary. If he wanted to be alone, that was fine, but he could have at least said something beforehand. Instead, he had been unusually silent on their walk back to the hotel. If he was refusing to talk to her, then fine, he could deal with everything himself.

Riza tried to tell herself that he'd be fine and if he was going to hide from her, she didn't care, he was coping.

She didn't get a wink of sleep that night.

 **000000**

The Colonel's odd silence continued into the next day. He didn't say more than he had to that morning when they headed to the train station to return to East City, not even attempting to explain why he had locked her out the night before. Riza didn't know what to say to him, so she didn't speak much either, but that wasn't unusual for her.

Even after they boarded the train and took their seats, he didn't say much, and though his outward demeanor belied nothing of how he was feeling, his silence spoke volumes to her. Hughes' death had definitely hit him harder than he was letting on.

Halfway through their train ride home, she couldn't stand it anymore and finally attempted conversation. Roy being so quiet was practically unheard of, even in his more serious moments. He hadn't so much as looked at her since they sat down, seemingly lost in thought as he stared out the window. His behavior was worrisome.

"Colonel…" Riza began, not quite knowing what to say even as she tentatively spoke his rank. After a few moments pause, he finally made a quiet noise of affirmation, letting her know he was listening. "Were you given any information about when you were being transferred to Central?"

Roy shook his head, still not looking at her.

"No, they'll give me the details when we get back to work tomorrow."

Riza nodded, staring down at her hands folded in her lap. So much for that discussion. His tone clearly conveyed that he didn't want to talk about anything. She sighed and followed his gaze out the window, taking in the peaceful scenery that whipped by, wishing she knew what he was thinking.

Their train pulled into the East City station that evening and Riza followed Roy as they and the other passengers disembarked. They had left Roy's car parked in the passenger lot so he wouldn't have to wait for a taxi to get home and Riza lived only a few blocks from the station so she had planned on walking. But in Roy's current state of mind, lost in thought, his grief visible only to Riza, she wanted to offer to drive him home, even though she knew what his answer would be before the words even left her mouth.

"Sir, I can drive you home if you'd like."

"There's no need for that, Lieutenant," he answered immediately, almost roughly, just as she predicted. "I'll be fine by myself."

Riza held back a sigh as he got into the driver's seat and slammed the door.

"Yes, sir," she answered quietly, but it went unheard as the car's engine roared to life and he pulled away from the parking lot and her.

All she could do was stare after him as he drove off, hopefully going home and not to some bar where he could drown in his misery by himself. If he didn't want her near, what could she do but allow him space and time to grieve on his own?

Her walk home was slow, her mood melancholy. Black Hayate greeted her happily when she walked into her apartment and she smiled sadly down at him. He wagged his tail and cocked his head and she picked him up and hugged him close.

"He's so stubborn," Riza muttered to the pup, voice muffled by his soft fur. "Why won't he just talk to me?"

Hayate whined, sensing that his master was upset. Riza sighed and set him back down on the ground, heading into the kitchen to make some tea for herself and to feed Hayate. The pup appreciatively scarfed down the food she gave him.

Once her tea was ready, she poured herself a cup and sat on her couch with a sigh. Her mind kept straying to the colonel. She couldn't stop worrying about him, wondering what he was doing, if he would really be okay by himself. Roy was good at acting, he did it all the time. In fact, there was probably no one outside of Madame Christmas and her girls and Riza herself that knew the real Roy now that Hughes was gone. He was hiding his emotions from her and if Riza was being honest with herself, she would admit that she was hurt by it.

Hawkeye gripped her tea cup tighter and glared into dark liquid that rippled as her hands shook. No, he would not be fine by himself. This was Roy, the man that had grown up surrounded by love and attention and people that he could talk to whenever he was sad. He needed someone to be there for him, how could she have just let him go off on his own? What was she thinking?

Riza practically slammed her tea cup onto the table as she stood and grabbed her coat. She attached Hayate's leash and hurried out into the cool night, walking with purpose toward Mustang's apartment. If he wasn't going to talk to her, she would make him talk. Even if he was angry about it, she would make him understand that he was not alone. He did not have to be alone while he grieved.

Her pace got her to his apartment faster than she thought and rather than knocking on his door, knowing he would not let her in, she grabbed his spare key from her coat pocket, jammed it into the lock, and entered his apartment, almost slamming the door behind her.

Riza found Roy sitting on his couch in the dark, a half drunk bottle of whisky in his hand. Her abrupt entrance hadn't even startled him. He wasn't drunk quite yet, but he was getting there, and it took a few moments before he realized who exactly had just barged into his apartment. He glared and stood, taking a few steps toward her.

"Why are you here?" he growled out, voice rough and wavering slightly. Whether it was because of the whisky or because he had been crying, Riza couldn't tell. "I said I'd be fine by myself."

He was obviously angry, but Riza didn't budge, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

"We both know that's not true."

Roy blinked and stared at her for a few moments. Anger, disbelief, annoyance all flashing across his face. He took a deep breath, slammed the bottle of whisky on the coffee table beside him, and crossed the room, reaching her in just a few strides.

Riza didn't know what to expect, but she didn't move even as he stomped close to her, his movements so fast it almost startled her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close, clutching her against him like he was afraid she would disappear, burying his face into the crook of her neck. Riza's surprised expression turned somber and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding him tight. His body shook in her arms and silent tears streamed down his face. She ran a hand through his dark hair, down his back, then back up to weave into his hair again, cradling his head while he wept.

"Don't shut me out, remember?"

Riza was filled was a sense of relief as Roy broke down in her arms. He wasn't trying to hide anymore, wasn't pretending everything was okay. He was Roy again and though he was grief stricken, Riza knew she wouldn't have to worry about him anymore. He would come to her if he needed someone to talk to. She was sure he understood that was the reason she was there.

Tears slid down her own cheeks then and she held him tighter as they cried over the loss of the man they had both considered family.

 **000000**

Thanks for reading! See you next chapter. And don't forget to please leave a review if you like this fic! It's the best way to motivate me to keep writing. I love hearing what people think of my fics.


	32. Central

I just wanted to thank everyone for your reviews. I'm so glad you're enjoying this story! All of your comments give me life and keep this fic going, so thank you very much. Your feedback means so much to me.

 **000000**

Hawkeye was startled awake by movement to her left and sounds of distress. On instinct, she reached for her gun in the drawer of her bedside table only to find that she was groping at air. She sat up quickly and saw that the table was missing. Not only that, she was most definitely not in her apartment.

Blinking, she glanced around in the dark and her eyes fell on the man in the bed beside her. The memories from the night before came back to her in a rush of emotion when she took in the sight of a sleeping Roy Mustang thrashing and moaning. The moonlight filtering in through the curtains reflected off something in the corners of Roy's closed eyes. Riza quietly reached up to wipe away the moisture that had collected on his eyelashes.

"Colonel," Riza whispered in a gentle voice, trying not to startle him.

His only response was to groan again and squirm, gripping the covers tighter. Riza sighed and lightly ran her fingers through his hair. His bangs were damp with sweat and her frown deepened as he began to speak in his sleep. At first it was a few muttered words she could not hear, but then his voice grew louder.

"Nnn...No...No! Stop!"

Roy bolted upright in bed, breathing heavily, having woken himself by shouting. Riza reached for his clammy hand and gripped it firmly.

"It's all right," she said in a calm, quiet voice. "It was just a dream."

Roy turned quickly at her touch and the sound of her voice, seeming surprised at her presence, until his memories caught up with him. He shook his head sadly and dropped his gaze to the bed sheets between them.

"No...He...He's really gone."

Riza thought he had been dreaming of Ishval, a regular occurrence for them. Realization hit her then and she moved closer to Roy.

"Oh... I…" Riza felt at a loss for words. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him close. "I'm so sorry."

 **000000**

Mustang walked into East Headquarters the next morning with his usual confidence in place, but with a distinct air of melancholy surrounding him that only the few that knew him well would be able to pick up on. Hawkeye was with him at her usual place. No one found it strange that they were together right away in the morning. Riza often drove him to work. None would be the wiser to the fact that she had actually stayed at his place the previous night.

The day went by uneventfully. To Roy, the minutes seemed to tick by even more slowly than normal. The phone would ring and he half expected to hear Hughes on the other line gushing about his family. Roy wished so desperately that it had all been some kind of terrible dream. But it had been real. Hughes was gone, but life went on and it didn't seem fair. How could everyone be so normal when something so terrible, so tragic had happened only days ago?

Riza sent him pitying looks throughout the day. Even if no one else saw it, she could tell he was not himself, but she made sure he never saw her looking at him with worry. She knew he wouldn't want sympathy or pity from anyone.

Mustang was expected at Grumman's office in the afternoon and he dismissed his team to do various things while he was playing chess with the old man.

"There has been an order for a transfer," Grumman said, scrutinizing the chess board to decide where to place his piece. "You will be working in Central starting next week."

"Yes," Mustang answered, focusing on the chessboard with a critical eye.

"It'll be lonely here," Grumman went on. "You've been quite interesting."

"No no, not as interesting as the stories from when you were young."

Grumman grinned and settled back in his seat, raising his hand to stroke his chin thoughtfully.

"Oh ho ho, when I was a young officer it was so…AHH!" Grumman couldn't continue his train of thought, stopping midway through his sentence when he saw Mustang had captured one of his pieces.

Roy grinned.

"Gotcha there, General."

"Umm…" Grumman was now on the edge of his seat, worriedly moving his pieces over the board. "Thanks to your hard work, you made my job easier."

"I, too, was able to learn a lot from the work you gave me here. I really appreciate it, General."

"I heard that Brigadier General Halcrow will be replacing you. I don't like him. He's too stern."

Grumman lifted a pawn and knocked one of Roy's pieces off the board in annoyance at both the way the game was turning out and the thought of having to deal with Halcrow on a daily basis.

"I wish you luck," Roy said, smirking as he lifted his knight and dropped it to place Grumman in check. "Checkmate."

"Ahhhhh, I finally lost!"

Roy chuckled at the old man's surprise.

"I finally beat you."

Grumman picked up a notebook and began jotting things down.

"Mustang's record of one win, ninety seven losses, and fifteen draws," He read aloud. "This one is special."

"I'll gladly take that win," Mustang replied as he cleaned up the chess board.

"Speaking of special," Grumman said as they got up to leave his office, tone casual, but serious. "Would you take my granddaughter as your wife? She'll be the future president's wife."

"Don't think too far ahead, General," Mustang replied, carefully keeping his face neutral. Grumman had asked that same question a few times before and each time he did, Roy made sure he did nothing that would lead the old man on. Of course, he never once denied the possibility either. Mustang paused in thought as he opened the door. "Well… Talking about special, I have some subordinates that I want to take to Central with me."

"Yes, that's fine. Take them"

Grumman nodded and handed the chess set over to Mustang. A parting gift. One that might prove to be useful at a later date.

"You have my thanks," Mustang said, taking the chess board with a small smile and nod.

 **000000**

The shooting range was suprisingly empty for a Monday afternoon. Only a few soldiers were spread out and practicing. It was just the way Riza liked it. She was at the far end of the range, preferring to put some distance between herself and anyone else when practicing.

Her aim was good, as usual, but Riza, ever the perfectionist, felt she still needed work on her skills. Nothing short of perfection was good enough when it came to her job of protecting Roy Mustang. Their future was dependent on his survival. If her accuracy wasn't spot on every time, there was always the chance things could go very wrong when out in the field.

A lower ranking officer approached her with a smile after a particularly good shot at the center of the target's chest.

"Ooh, you're doing well, Little Riza," the man said, sounding impressed and using a nickname the men often used for her while in the shooting range as she was the smallest and youngest out of anyone that frequented the range at East Headquarters. It was a nickname that made Roy jealous. She knew he hated when other men got to use a cute nickname for her while he, in order to keep up appearances and deflect rumors, was forced to refer to her with her rank or full name. "Your aim is good, as always."

"Not good enough," Riza replied, not taking her eyes of the target before her.

"The Colonel called," the man continued unfazed, used to the blunt and quick responses that were common from Hawkeye. "Transfer to Central has been confirmed."

The look in Riza's eye became serious and she gripped her rifle, taking aim and shooting the target between the eyes with deadly accuracy.

"Yes."

 **000000**

"It seems we leave for Central next week," Roy said as he faced his team in the quiet of his office, hands braced on his desk. "So, Private Kain Fuery, Warrant Officer Vato Falman, Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda, Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc, Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. You five will all come with me to Central. I will hear no complaints. Come with me!"

Mustang's team clipped their heels together and saluted at once with a unanimous "yes sir!" They held the position for a moment before Havoc suddenly thought of something and stepped from the line toward Mustang's desk.

"Ah, wait Colonel, I can't, there's a problem."

Roy looked annoyed at Havoc.

"What?"

"I just got a girlfriend recently!"

Havoc was obviously proud and pleased with himself, but Mustang wasn't impressed and he turned to look out the window of his office.

"Leave her," he said without missing a beat. "Get a new one in Central."

Havoc looked mortified, like he was about to cry. The rest of the team comforted him as Mustang put his hands on his hips and cackled, continuing on without even noticing Havoc's distress.

"It's a good thing that you just started going out so it's not much of a loss since the relationship isn't serious yet!"

Falman and Breda placed their hands on Havoc's shoulders, Riza patted him on the back, and Fuery cried for his friend's misfortune.

 **000000**

The crowded, busy streets of Central were something the members of Team Mustang were not used to. Roy had grown up there, but the rest of the team hadn't and were more accustomed to the quiet, leisurely atmosphere of East City. Just getting off the train at the Central station proved a challenge due to the number of people disembarking or waiting to board.

The entire team took the same train, save for Mustang and Hawkeye who carpooled in Roy's car. It was cheaper to drive than to buy tickets _and_ pay for the car to be shipped in the cargo section of the train. Riza got roped into driving him because she was not about to chance letting him drive himself. Not with his driving track record. As his bodyguard, it was her duty to make sure he lived and letting him drive that far by himself was a serious threat to his safety.

No one seemed to think twice about it. She _was_ his babysitter afterall.

They all arrived in Central around the same time and helped each other move into their new residences. The day was long and exhausting, but with the entire team helping each other, it went by quicker and more efficiently than it would have had they all moved by themselves.

At the end of the day, they retreated to their new homes to relax and clean up.

The evening found Mustang and Hawkeye alone together.

"We'll meet at Madame Christmas' at nineteen hundred," Roy spoke into the phone receiver. "You still have the address I gave you, right? … Good, we'll see you there, Havoc."

"Did he get settled in?" Riza asked as Roy hung up the phone.

"Yes. He's still whining about having to leave his girlfriend, though."

"Poor Havoc."

"Poor nothing! He knew what he was getting into when he joined the military and this team. Besides, it wasn't like they had been dating for very long. He said so himself!"

Riza just shook her head, a small grin touching her lips, and settled herself on the small sofa she had brought with her. It was one of the only pieces of furniture she bothered to take with her besides a bed, end table, dining table, and a couple of dining chairs. Her new apartment was smaller than the one in East due to the living costs being much higher in the major city, yet it still appeared sparsely furnished and empty despite the looming presence of the pile of boxes in the middle of the room.

Roy huffed and nestled himself beside Riza, Hayate trotting over to lay at their feet.

They had just finished bringing the last of Riza's things into her new apartment and wanted to spend some time together before meeting the team at Madame Christmas' Bar to celebrate their promotion to Central. Their new location would require the team to step up their game a bit to look even better in the eyes of Central Command. This meant that they might not get as much time to be alone together as they did in East and Roy wanted to make the most of the time they still had.

Moving to Central would also give Roy a chance to investigate further into Hughes' death. That tidbit was something he refrained from telling anyone, even Riza.

"Should we order something to eat before going to the Madame's?"

"Nah," Roy replied, chuckling. "Knowing her, she's probably prepared a feast in our honor for when we arrive."

Riza smiled, fondly remembering the few times she spoke to Roy's aunt.

"That does seem like her. She's so thoughtful."

"We have a little over half an hour before we need to leave," Roy said, casually moving closer to Riza and draping his arm around the seat behind her. "Is there anything you want to do?"

Riza side eyed him and raised a brow.

"Well…"

She didn't get to finish her thought as Hayate chose that moment to sit up and whine. He then walked to the door and turned back to her, whining again. Riza looked at Roy and stood.

"It seems Hayate needs to go out. How do you feel about a walk?"

Riza could see the disappointment on Roy's face and she inwardly rolled her eyes. Roy sighed and stood to follow her.

"All right, that works, I guess."

Roy shoved his hands into his pockets and followed Riza and Hayate out the door.

"Don't sulk, Colonel," Riza said as Roy lagged a little ways behind her and Hayate. "It's unbecoming."

This made Roy perk up immediately and he quickened his pace to fall into step beside her.

"Unbecoming? Me? Never!" He seemed insulted and Riza mentally laughed at how easily he could be riled up. She knew all the right buttons to push in order to get a reaction out of him. "And I was _not_ sulking. I was just...thinking."

Riza turned to him and blinked.

"Oh?"

"Mhm," Roy hummed, the cryptic response being the only reply he planned on giving her.

"Ah, I see. The great, suave Colonel Mustang is being petulant and using the 'Silent Treatment.'"

Mustang put a hand over his heart and looked absolutely affronted.

"Why, Lieutenant! How could you? That was particularly cruel."

Riza stared at him incredulously, almost amused by his mock indignation. She decided to change the subject so she wouldn't provoke him further. If he didn't want to talk about what was on his mind, she wouldn't harp on it. He would tell her if it was important.

"When was the last time you visited your aunt?"

Roy looked thoughtful for a moment.

"You know, I don't actually remember. I speak to her on the phone occasionally, but the last time I actually saw her must have been when we were here for…"

Roy cut himself off, a pained expression crossing his features. It took only a few moments for Riza to understand what he was about to say and she suddenly regretted asking him about it.

The last time they had come to Central together was for Hughes' wedding.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean…"

"It's fine," Roy said quickly, the pain in his eyes gone in an instant, as if it had never been there. "We're not that far from the bar, actually. It's about a twenty minute walk from here, I'd say. Why don't we just head there now?"

Riza stared at him for a moment with worry, wondering at his sudden change in demeanor. Sure he was an excellent actor, masking his emotions with ease all the time when at work. But for him to go from nonchalant, to grief stricken, then back again all under a minute was alarming. Especially since he was alone with her and had no need to hide anything from anyone.

Finally she turned to look ahead again and spoke, making a mental note to keep an eye out for other mood swings like the one she just witnessed.

"With Hayate?" she asked, unsure if the pup would be welcome at the bar.

Roy waved it off.

"Most of the girls love dogs and so does the Madame. She'll be fine with it... Well, as long as he behaves, that is."

"Of course."

"See, then there's nothing to worry about. We both know he'll behave. _You_ trained him, after all."

Riza flashed him a small smile and Roy offered her his arm with a charming grin.

"Now then, shall we?"

Riza nodded and looped her arm through his.

"Yes, but I'll only indulge you for a few minutes," Riza said, motioning to their joined arms with a nod of her head. "We don't want rumors to fly after we only just arrived."

Roy sighed, but nodded. She was right. She was always right.

"Very true, Lieutenant."

The walk to the bar wasn't as peaceful as they would have liked and they had to let go of each other much sooner than Roy would have liked. Such were the drawbacks of living in a large, bustling city. Even at night there were quite a few people out on the streets. It was definitely going to prove difficult to keep a secret relationship with so many eyes possibly watching them at any given time. They would have to be extra cautious.

 **000000**

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for the long wait. I had a serious case of writer's block with this one.

And please don't forget to comment if you like this fic. Comments mean the world to me and really spur me on to write more.


	33. A Night At The Madame's

I want to apologize for taking so long to update. It's been a very rough couple of months. My dog's arthritis has gotten really bad to the point that he almost couldn't stand up and I was stressing out about that for over a month. He's doing a little better now, but my anxiety is still super high so I don't know when the next time I update will be. I'll try not to leave you hanging for too long this time, but it just depends on what happens with my dog and life in general. Thanks for understanding and please enjoy this quick chapter.

 **000000**

Mustang and Hawkeye arrived at the Madame's bar a bit later than the planned meeting time. The walk had taken longer than anticipated, but neither minded having a little extra time to be alone together.

They walked into the bar and were met with the cheers and smiles of the Madame's girls. Some of them squealed when they saw Hayate and immediately descended upon the pup with pets and cuddles. Roy gave Riza a look and she knew he was saying 'I told you so' about Hayate without him having to say a word. She smiled at the attention her dog was receiving and followed Roy to join the rest of their team at a booth.

"Heya, chief!" Havoc grinned as Roy and Riza sat down. "What took you two so long?"

"We walked," Riza replied, gesturing to Hayate. "Hayate needed to go out so the Colonel suggested we just walk here."

Jean was about to reply to that with a snide remark, but Vanessa arrived at their table and passed around drinks and when his eyes landed on her, he forgot what he was even going to say.

"Congrats on your transfer, Roy! Drinks on us tonight!"

Roy grinned and grabbed a drink, glad she interrupted whatever Havoc was going to say. Roy knew the team had some kind of inkling that there was something more between he and Riza, but voicing it wasn't something he wanted. They could have their suspicions, but Roy refused to talk about it lest someone less trustworthy overheard. Roy needed Riza by his side. If she got transferred because the wrong people heard the wrong kind of rumors, he'd be at a loss. He couldn't afford to lose her.

"Thanks, Vanessa."

"Sure thing," Vanessa replied, turning to leave. "You just yell if you need another round. The Madame said she'd be over to talk to you in a minute."

After Chris came and congratulated Mustang with a hug, the rest of the night was filled with laughter and drinks. Even Roy seemed to be enjoying himself, forgetting about his troubles for a few hours with several drinks and good company.

Unfortunately, he perhaps had a few too many drinks and Riza noticed when his demeanor suddenly changed. Where he had been laughing a minute ago, he was now looking somber, like being drunk made him remember everything that had happened only a couple of weeks ago. And when Roy was drunk, he tended to be more emotional and blabber about those emotions. So in an effort to prevent things going bad, she looked at her watch, noticed it was reaching early morning hours, and stood.

"It's pretty late, I think we should call it a night."

Fuery stood after her and nodded in agreement. He hadn't drunk nearly as much as the others and was able to stand without wobbling, which couldn't be said for Havoc who needed Breda and Falman's help standing straight.

"Yeah, we better get this drunk idiot home," Breda said, nudging Havoc in the rubs with his elbow.

"Hey! Ahm nah a drunk idit," Havoc slurred, jabbing Breda in the ribs in retaliation, though the motion threw off his balance and he stumbled.

"See you on Monday," Falman said, shaking his head as he helped Breda move Havoc toward the door with Fuery close behind.

When they left, Roy turned to Riza.

"They were having fun… You didn't have to end it…"

"You should go get some rest, sir."

Roy blinked at her and frowned.

"Wha? Why?"

"Because you're a little too drunk."

"Nah, no way, not like Havoc. Hughes would-" Roy cut himself off and Riza could see the change in his eyes again. The way they suddenly darkened. How he frowned and furrowed his brow, remembering things he didn't want to be remembering. He crumpled in on himself and raked his hands through his hair.

Riza reached out to comfort him, but the distant look in his eyes made her pause.

"It's all right, he can stay here." Madame Christmas walked up to them, concern lacing her features as she gazed sadly at the boy she raised who was now sitting limply in the booth with his head in his hands, seeming so lost and not entirely there anymore. "His old room has been untouched since he left."

"I'll leave him to you then," Riza said, leashing Hayate and getting ready to leave, though reluctantly. "Your familiar company and his familiar childhood home will be good for him."

Chris could hear the hesitance in Riza's voice, her slow movements as if she were unwilling to leave Mustang's side despite her words. Chris smiled a bit and gestured to Roy.

"You stay too, he needs you more than he needs me."

Riza sent the madame a curious glance and Chris scoffed.

"Please, you're not fooling me. He told me there was a woman who was important to him, a woman he said he was completely devoted to, who he planned to spend the rest of his life with. He refused to say names, but I know he was talking about you. I can see it when he looks at you." When she saw the look on Riza's face she quickly added, "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

Riza was at a loss for words so returned her attention to Roy who was still lost in his thoughts. He was absently swirling alcohol in a shot glass while his eyes seemed glazed over. If she wasn't mistaken, Riza also noticed what looked like tears at the corner of his eyes and she sighed in worry.

"All right," she replied to Chris in a soft tone. "I'll stay."

"Good. I'll help you get him to his old room so you two can get settled for the night."

Riza undid Hayate's leash and then she and Chris each gripped Roy under one arm and hauled him up the stairs with surprisingly little resistance from the man. They guided him to his room where they sat him gently on the bed. Hayate followed them into the room and lay down on the rug next to the bed.

"He keeps a few spare clothes in the dresser there," Chris said as she turned to leave. "You can probably find something for him to change into and maybe something for yourself. You two take it easy and let any of us know if you need anything."

Madame closed the door softly behind her when she left. Once alone, Riza sat next to Roy and sighed again. She gripped his hand in hers and this seemed to knock him out of whatever trance he had been in. He looked up at her for a moment befor dropping his gaze back to the floor.

"Sorry for always causing so much trouble for you and everyone. If it weren't for me, Hughes might never have-"

"Stop blaming yourself," Riza firmly interrupted Roy's monologue of self hatred. "You have a nasty habit of doing that. None of us could have prevented what happened."

"It just...hurts."

"I know. But we have to keep moving forward. For his sake."

Roy heaved a sigh and nodded, but Riza didn't think he was really listening. He had that odd glazed look in his eyes again. A minute later he glanced around the room with a sudden confused expression.

"Why are we in my old room?"

"The Madame thought it would be best if you just stayed here tonight."

"Hm. Of course she would."

"Is that a problem?"

"No… She just always seems to know the right way to handle things."

Roy slumped over and rested against Riza's side, his head falling on her shoulder.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

Within moments he was asleep. Riza removed his suit jacket and shoes before laying him gently down on the bed. She stood and rummaged through the drawers in the dresser in the corner to find something to change into and pulled out one of Roy's button-ups. Once she was changed, she curled up at his side, dried the tears that had finally fallen down his cheeks, and ran her hand through his hair until the motion put her to sleep.

 **000000**

Sorry this chapter is so short. I felt bad leaving you guys for two months again with no updates, so this was just a quick interlude before the Barry the Chopper stuff to hold you over.


	34. Barry the Chopper

Almost a month after moving to Central, Hawkeye finally got a day off.

She walked down the darkening streets with Hayate's leash in one hand and a paper bag of groceries clutched to her chest with the other.

"I finally got a day off after being transferred to Central, but I spent it running errands…" Riza mused as she passed a dark alley.

The sun had just set and the glow of the street lamps along the walkway were the only light as she and Hayate made their way home. Neither noticed the glowing eyes piercing the darkness of the alley, following Riza's movements with purpose.

"Missy, it's dangerous to walk alone at this hour," a cloaked figure said as he stepped out from the shadows. He was large and bulky and made an odd sort of clanging sound when he moved. It was strangely familiar. "Want me to escort you?"

Riza paused and looked over her shoulder at the stranger, eyes narrowing.

"Thanks for the offer," she replied, a hint of warning in her tone. "But It's okay."

"Don't be shy," the figure said, drawing a blade from underneath his cloak. "There are really dangerous guys around here." The figure threw the cloak off and jumped at Riza suddenly, revealing a suit of armor with glowing eyes. "LIKE BARRY THE CHOPPER!"

Before the suit of armor, apparently named Barry the Chopper, could bring his blade down, Riza dropped Hayate's leash and reached into her grocery bag to pull out a concealed gun, shooting Barry and forcing him back in surprise.

"Wh...what are you doing so sudden-LLY!?" Barry could barely finish his sentence before Riza dropped her bag of groceries and drew another concealed gun, this time from her thigh holster, and Barry fell backward on the cement with a crash.

"Unacceptable!" Barry yelled, taking offense to her reaction, or lack thereof. "Being attacked by me and you aren't shocked?!" He lifted off his helmet to reveal that his armor was empty. Just like Alphonse. "Look at this and scream your lungs out!"

Riza paused for a moment, but continued shooting almost immediately, not phased in the slightest. Barry dropped his helmet with a yelp.

"Wait wait wait! Why aren't you scared missy?!"

"I know someone like that," Riza answered cooly.

"Like this?" Barry repeated. "You mean that guy Alphonse something?"

This time, Riza was surprised, eyes widening.

"You know about Alphonse?"

"I really like strong women," Barry said instead of answering her question.

"Don't change the topic!"

"Oooh, I think I'm in love, missy!"

"Huh…?" Riza blinked in disbelief at the suit of armor before her.

The locals were staring out of their windows and Riza needed to get the idiot out of there before anyone saw or heard too much. The colonel would want to know about him and also about his connection to Alphonse. Barry seemed to be attached to her for some unfortunate reason so she told him to go with her and he obeyed, following closely with hearts in his eyes, muttering annoying things about how much he was in love with her.

Back at headquarters, one of Roy's temporary assistants informed him he had a phone call.

"Put me through." The phone rang a couple of times before connecting and Riza's voice came through, something he was not expecting. "Ah, Lieutenant Hawkeye. What's wrong, aren't you off today?"

"No! About that…" Riza grumbled as she pushed back against Barry who was trying to squeeze into the phone booth with her. "I caught some weirdo."

Roy's eyebrows raised in question as he held the receiver to his ear. "...What?"

Riza could hear the confusion in his voice and sighed. "Just get to the phone booth on the corner near the market a few blocks from my place."

She hung up and shoved Barry out of the way and pointed at the fence near the phone booth.

"Sit," she ordered sternly and Barry obeyed.

"Lemme dissect you, missy," Barry said, still staring at her like some lovesick puppy.

"No!"

"Then what about those guys that are walking past?"

"Definitely not!" Riza groaned, resting her elbow on her knee and her head on her hand. 'Ugh, please hurry and get here soon, Colonel," she thought, not sure how much more of Barry she could handle.

Roy was driving to Riza's designated location as quickly as he could, not sure what to expect when he arrived. He had changed into civilian clothes in the locker room before he left headquarters on the off chance that her saying 'I caught someone' was just some kind of code for 'I want to see you.' It was what he was hoping would be the case, but when he finally reached Riza, he was loathe to find there actually was a weirdo with her. Touching her no less. Roy felt a vein pop out of his head as he parked and approached them, fingers twitching, wanting to snap.

Riza stood when she saw Roy.

"Sorry to bother you at such a busy time, Colonel," she said.

Roy was about to respond, but the suit of armor next to Riza grabbed her by the waist.

"Missy, who's this punk?" Barry demanded and Riza jabbed him with her elbow and glared.

Roy's eye twitched.

"You be quiet," Riza growled, fed up with Barry's antics.

Barry refusing to move his hand was the last straw and Roy pulled on one of his gloves, a murderous glint in his eyes.

"Step aside, Lieutenant," he said, voice low and threatening as he continued. "There's going to be a fire tonight."

Riza finally managed to push Barry off of her, thanks in no small part to Barry being suddenly nervous about the look Roy was giving him.

"Calm down, sir," Riza said quickly before Roy could do anything stupid. His jealousy was out of control sometimes. And this was too important for him to be acting childish. "This is Barry the Chopper who had supposedly been executed!"

Roy dropped his hand to the side and his eyes widened in alarm at the information. He was all business immediately and looked around.

"If that's true… We need to find a place to talk." He thought for a moment and then eyed the phone booth. "Let me make a quick call."

A few minutes later, Roy returned to Riza's side and nodded toward the more remote area where Riza had first come across Barry.

"There shouldn't be anyone in the warehouses at this hour. It'll be a good spot to talk without prying eyes. Falman will be meeting us there, let's go."

"Yes, sir," Riza nodded. She looked at Barry and pointed after Roy. "Come with us. No more touching, no more asking if you can chop people up. Behave."

"Sure, sure, missy, whatever you say."

Barry followed close next to Riza as they followed Roy inside one of the warehouses. Falman arrived a while later.

Barry plopped himself on the floor and Falman crouched in front of him, Roy and Riza standing behind to make sure Barry didn't try anything.

Half an hour and what seemed like an endless amount of questions about murders later, Falman was leaning toward the possibility of Barry actually being whom he claimed.

"What do you think?" Roy asked just as Barry finished answering the last question, one that Falman purposely messed up the date on to try to trick Barry.

"He's not falling for any tricks. Knowing this much, he might actually be the real thing."

Barry suddenly became angry and lurched at Falman.

"The hell?! You thought I was an imposter?! Should I prove to you that I'm the real deal by dismembering you nice and clean?!"

Barry didn't get far before Riza knocked him back down with a metal pipe.

"No you won't!"

Barry turned and whined at Riza. "Aw c'mon, missy! I was kidding!"

Roy was still not pleased with how Barry was acting around Riza, but he tried to ignore it.

"All right," he grumbled. "I'll admit you're the real thing. So why are you here when you should have been executed? Plus you're in the same kind of armored body as Alphonse Elric."

"I have a question before I answer that," Barry said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You guys seem like you're from the military, but ya didn't know about me being put into a body like this?"

"Yeah," Roy replied, wondering where exactly Barry was going with this.

"Okay, okay, you don't know anything about the fifth research laboratory either, right?"

"What the hell are you going on about?"

Barry laughed.

"Alphonse and his bro came sneaking into the fifth lab and we fought each other then. He's pretty strong!"

The wheels in Roy's head began to turn and he made the connection between what Alex Armstrong had said to him on the day of Hughes' funeral about the Elric brothers searching for the philosopher's stone and what Barry was talking about. He grit his teeth and clenched his fist. It was the information he'd been looking for. A possible connection to Hughes' murderers.

"Barry, tell me more. In detail!"

Barry laughed again, clearly enjoying the suddenly surprised and determined look in Roy's eyes.

"Well, if ya don't rat me out to the people who done this to me, and promise not to get rid of me, then I'll tell ya everything I know."

Roy sighed, but smirked. "Very well."

Pulling over one of the boxes that surrounded them, Roy took off his coat and settled down with a notepad to take down everything potentially important that Barry said. Falman stayed standing behind him and Riza stood off to the side, guarding the only exit out of habit.

Barry went into his story, how the military was making philosopher's stones in Laboratory Five, that people named Lust and Envy were involved somehow. Roy jotted down every important piece of information.

"Two people named Lust and Envy are linked to the military… What do those two look like?"

Barry made a swooping hourglass shape with his hands. "Lust looks like this. She looks really soft and easy to chop. And Envy is a bit bony. His body is small too, so he doesn't look fun to chop."

Roy sighed and facepalmed.

"What's wrong?" Barry asked, confused about the looks the three military officers gave him.

"No, nevermind." Roy said, giving up on getting any kind of good descriptions from the idiot. "So, then they were the ones who transmuted your soul?"

"No! That was the work of the researchers. And the case where I was transmuted was a bit different. I was forcefully torn out of my body and transferred to this armor while I was still alive."

"Should we investigate the researchers?" Falman asked Roy while still looking at Barry.

"No can do," Barry said. "Those guys were used as ingredient for the stones just a few days before the lab was destroyed. None of em are alive."

"Use them as ingredients to keep their mouths shut… Pretty resourceful of them." Roy sighed, resting his chin on his hand, frustrated at the seemingly dead end they'd reached.

"Does that perhaps mean they no longer need to make stones?" Riza spoke up.

"Hm," Roy thought about that, but didn't respond, instead starting to mutter to himself. "An organization that is involved with the military and the philosopher's stone." He skimmed over his notes once more before frowning, his expression turning deadly serious as he snapped his notebook shut. "Barry the Chopper, I'll ask you one more question. Were you the one who killed a brigadier general in a phone booth a little over a month ago?"

Falman and Riza both turned and shot looks at Roy then glanced up at each other. The anger and hatred in Roy's eyes was fearful and those emotions radiated off of him in waves. Riza took small comfort in knowing that Falman could see it too, that darkness that had seeped into their Colonel after the death of his best friend.

Barry looked nervous under Roy's firm stare and leaned away from him. "I dunno! Was he chopped up?"

"No," Roy said, his anger slowly leaving him as he stood. "If you don't know, nevermind." Little did he know how close he actually was to the truth behind those responsible for Hughes' death. He turned to Falman as he pulled on his coat. "Well Falman, you may return home now. And please forget everything you've heard here. You understand, right? This is a dangerous bridge, no need for you to cross it with me."

Falman looked thoughtful for a moment and stared at Barry. "Hm, true, but Colonel, it's too bad that my memory is too good. It's impossible for you to ask me to forget something. I've already boarded this boat, I'll follow you to the end. Don't hesitate to ask me to do anything."

"Falman…" Roy smiled and chuckled quietly. "My apologies, thank you." He walked over and pat Barry on the shoulder. "Then the first thing you can do is take care of this guy. Keep him under guard someplace where neither military nor civilians will see him. I gotta look something up, I'm going back to HQ. Oh and I'll sign you up for a vacation, so take good care of Barry." Roy and Riza headed for the door and waved. "I'll leave him to you!"

"Barry, " Riza said sternly. "You cannot chop this person up."

"Aye aye, missy!" Barry said, putting his arm around Falman like they were buddies. "Well, let's get along well Mister Tough Meat!"

Falman sighed and his head drooped. This was not what he meant when he said he would help.

Outside, Riza and Hayate followed Roy to his car. She didn't want to leave him alone, not after that last question he asked of Barry. It had been almost a month since he had said or done anything worrying, but with this new information, he was like a man possessed. It reminded her too much of someone else from her past and she didn't like it.

"I'll drive you to HQ and then home, sir," Riza offered and Roy stared at her for a moment as if trying to determine her reason for going with him instead of going home. He nodded once, apparently satisfied with whatever he saw.

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

 **000000**

It was late by the time Mustang came out of headquarters after searching for more information about laboratory five and the people Barry spoke of. Hawkeye had promised to wait for him in his car and she patiently sat in the driver's seat petting Hayate. Roy got into the passenger's seat when he reached the car, a manilla folder under his arm.

"Find what you wanted?"

Roy shrugged as he buckled his seatbelt. "Sort of. Thanks for calling me tonight and thanks for waiting here for me."

Riza nodded and started the car, Hayate jumping into the backseat and curling up. "Of course, sir. I'll drop you off at home and walk back to my place."

"No no, I'll be fine driving home from your apartment. Besides, didn't you say you dropped your groceries because of Barry? I'll buy you new groceries as thanks for helping me get this information tonight."

"You really don't need to, I was just doing my job."

"But I _want_ to."

Riza looked over to Roy as she pulled away from the curb. He was smiling at her, eyes full of warmth. A far cry from the look he had only a couple of hours ago in the warehouse while interrogating Barry.

"All right," she relented. She did need those groceries after all. "Thank you."

Buying groceries the second time around didn't take long at all with Roy helping and they arrived at Riza's apartment sooner than she expected.

"Thank you again, sir. It was thoughtful of you to help me."

"You know it's no trouble. If you ever need anything, just ask."

Riza unlocked her door and Hayate trotted in, immediately going to his bed to sleep. It was late and Riza expected Roy to come in and ask to stay the night, but instead, he stopped at the threshold of her door and smiled. Riza noticed that it didn't reach his eyes.

"Good night, Lieutenant. Sleep well."

Riza blinked at him, a curious look in her eye when she nodded and bid him good night as well. She watched him walk down the hall and down the stairs and once he was out of sight, she frowned and sighed, closing her door and bolting it before leaning against it, lost in troublesome thoughts.

He hadn't tried to kiss her or even touch her. She had even been wearing the skirt he often remarked was his favorite on her. His distance was unusual and the worry for him that she'd been feeling since Hughes' funeral was only heightened by his noticeable lack of affection that night. Riza tried to reason that there must have been a lot on his mind, it was a lot of new information to take in, but deep down, she knew it was more than that.

 **000000**

I've always envisioned/wanted to write some kind of romantic scene after Roy and Riza leave the warehouse together after the Barry interview, but the more I read the chapter, the more I realized that it just wouldn't fit. Roy just got a lot of new info that could lead to Hughes' murderers. He's not thinking about romance at all. He only has one thing on his mind and that's vengeance, so I feel like, in order to stick closer to canon, skipping any kind of fluff in this chapter was appropriate and necessary.

Thanks for reading. Sorry for the long delay getting this chapter out. I've lost readers so my motivation to write was severely lacking. I was actually planning on scrapping this entire story until a nice person started reading and reviewing on AO3, so you have them to thank for keeping this story alive. Please let me know what you think of this story. If you liked it, please review. It means so much to me and keeps me from wanting to delete this whole thing and give up.


	35. Flirting With Danger

Bless all you kind souls for reviewing. You're the ones that keep this story going. And sorry for making you wait over a month again for a new chapter. I tried to get this out at the end of June, but only managed to get it halfway completed. I participated in Camp Nanowrimo in July and I decided to focus on writing my original novel instead of fanfiction.

 **000000**

Hawkeye stood outside Mustang's apartment with a basket in her hands. She stared at the nondescript door, deliberating on whether or not she wanted to knock and directly hand him the basket in her arms. In all honesty, she wanted to push her way into his apartment, sit him down, and force him to eat some of the food she prepared for him. He had been looking thinner as of late, more gaunt and tired. Concerned for his wellbeing, she made some of his favorite food, wrapped it up neatly, and personally brought it to his door. But now that she was there, it occurred to her that perhaps he wouldn't even answer or wouldn't take the food even if he did.

His distance was strange, even at work. He was very good at hiding it, but she knew him too well. Even if no one else really thought anything of it, she knew better. Losing his best friend, a man that might as well have been his brother, hit him harder than anyone else realized. He wasn't eating, getting weaker by the day, and Riza was not about to let him continue to harm himself like that. Whether he realized he was doing it or not didn't matter. Riza would watch out for his health like a hawk. It was her namesake after all.

Finally she huffed and knocked twice on his door. After a few minutes of silence, she sighed, knowing she had been right. She thought for a moment before pulling out one of the paper napkins from the basket and a pen from her purse. She scribbled a note, placed it on top of the cloth covering the food, and set the whole thing on the ground right outside his door. Knocking once more, she turned and left, hoping he would open the door at some point before the next day. Not knowing what to do to help him was eating away at her, but this was all she could do, even if she wished it was more.

 **000000**

Mustang opened the door that evening to get some fresh air, unaware that Hawkeye had just left the premises only minutes before. He practically tripped on the basket sitting in the middle of his doorway and had to catch the wall to keep from falling.

"The hell?" he muttered, bending down to pick up the basket.

Whatever it was smelled good and he plucked the note from the top, recognizing his lieutenant's beautiful cursive right away.

 _Colonel,_

 _You aren't looking yourself lately and I'm worried. I made some of your favorites, so please help yourself. Don't make my job harder by being useless even when it's not raining._

Roy frowned. Was he really looking that bad? Being so caught up in finding Hughes' killers had been taking up all his free time, sure, but he hadn't realized his health was in decline because of it.

The little note in his hand wasn't signed, but it didn't need to be. Her handwriting was unmistakable to him after so many years of having her help with his paperwork. And not signing it meant that it might not be traced back to her if anyone else saw it. Smart move from her, as always. He was annoyed at himself for missing her at his door. How had he not heard her knock?

Roy sighed and smiled a little as he took a big whiff of what was inside the basket; sage, meat, and butter wafting up to greet his nose. Forgetting about the initial reason he opened his door in the first place, he backed up into his apartment, shut the door, and set the basket on his kitchen table, thankful he somehow managed to end up with someone like her by his side. He made a mental note to remember to thank her when he saw her at work the next day. With how much had been on his mind as of late, he wouldn't be surprised if he forgot.

 **000000**

Roy walked into the office the next morning, tired, but well fed for the first time in almost a month. He caught his lieutenant's eye as he sat and sent her a soft smile. She nodded once, knowing what he he meant with just a look. Riza was glad he ate the food she made for him. Honestly, she had been worried he wouldn't. He still looked exhausted though and her worry wouldn't leave her that easily.

Later that morning he made some excuse about needing to look something up in the archives before his meeting and left without another word. Maybe he was going to do research, but Riza had the suspicion that he was probably going to end up napping in the archives instead.

Just as Riza predicted, Roy conked out faster than even _he_ expected, the book he was reading falling over his face as a result. Sheska knocked on the door far too soon it seemed and he grumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Ah...Um, about ten minutes I think?"

He glanced at his pocketwatch and sighed.

"Not much time before the meeting..." he muttered to himself. "Thank you private, I'll come again."

Roy sauntered his way, bleary eyed, to the restroom where he washed his face to try to wake himself up. He stared at himself in the mirror, scrutinizing the bags under his eyes.

' _She's right, I_ do _look terrible,'_ he thought.

That was when he noticed the man in the stall behind him, so tall his head could be seen over the metal door. He inwardly groaned, not sure he could handle having all his bones crushed in one of Armstrong's famous hugs, nor did he particularly want to talk to anyone at that moment.

"Hey there!" Armstrong greeting Mustang as he stepped out from the stall.

"Hey," Roy replied, not quite as enthusiastically.

"Did you lose some weight?"

"Yeah," Roy replied, noting the bandage around Armstrong's head. "You got yourself injured?"

"I fought a little in the South. It's just a scratch. Oh! That's right, I met the Elric brothers. Edward came to the assessment at Southern HQ."

"I see…"

"He's planning to continue being a dog of the military… Fullmetal will be sixteen soon as I recall."

"Hm. Will they be returned to their original bodies first or be sent into battlefields first…"

"Yes…" Terrible memories of Ishval overtook the two of them for a moment and Armstrong gripped the sink in front of him. "To throw a youth into a place like that… How could anyone even think like that?"

Roy sighed and turned off the sink he had been using.

"Fullmetal became part of this knowing the risk of being used as a human weapon. Child or adult, there are no exceptions."

Armstrong narrowed his eyes.

"Is that your official stance? No one wishes for a world like that."

Roy leaned against the sink, closing his eyes and tightening his jaw.

"As a soldier, you dare defy the military?"

"I do not defy," came Armstrong's immediate reply. "I just want my strength to be used to protect the weak of this nation. This country has come to a point where it should _change_ after that civil war. And only those who understand the horror of the battlefield and aim calmly at the top can accomplish that, Colonel Mustang."

Roy wiped his face with a towel and smirked.

"What are you talking about?"

Armstrong dropped his own towel in a bin at the door and moved to leave the restroom.

"I got a little too chatty. I'll be going."

"Major," Roy said, any hint of laughter evaporated from his face. "Did you tell the Elric brothers about Hughes' death?"

Armstrong stopped with a solemn expression, not looking back to Mustang.

"No," he answered, voice riddled with emotion. "I could not bring myself to tell them."

Roy glared at his reflection in the mirror.

"They'll find out eventually... The fifth research lab and philosopher's stone. Live humans were used to create them. Hughes liked to help others. He found out something interesting after poking his head into the Elrics' business… Right?" Armstrong turned to face Mustang again, surprised at how much the colonel had discovered. "The brother's would be hurt if they found out he died because he tried to help them, eh? You're a soft-hearted person."

Armstrong turned back to Mustang and smiled. "You found out quite a lot."

"Just a bit more," Roy said as he pulled his military jacket back on.

"Be careful," Armstrong said as they parted ways outside the restroom. "You don't know who might be listening."

"Yeah."

 **000000**

Riza stood down the hall from the restrooms waiting for Roy. If he didn't hurry, he would be late for his meeting. He had certainly been taking his time in the bathroom and she wondered if some of the food she cooked for him possibly made him sick.

"Oh! It's Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Edward, Alphonse, and a pretty girl Riza vaguely recognized walked up to her. She smiled at them as they approached, any traces of worry leaving her features. If Roy was sick, he would surely tell her. Right?

"Edward, Alphonse," Riza greeted the boys warmly. "How have you been?"

"Ehhh, same old same old," Edward replied.

Winry suddenly looked shocked, recognizing Riza.

"Oh! You're the lady from back then!"

Riza looked at the girl, recognition setting in as she took in Winry's bright eyes and long hair.

"You are… from Risembool."

"Yes! It's Winry."

"My, you've grown to be so pretty."

"Miss Riza, you've grown your hair long!"

Wait a sec," Edward said, looking rather worried. "If the lieutenant is here, then that means-"

Roy rounded the corner behind Riza, adjusting the collar of his uniform jacket.

"Sorry for making you wait…" he muttered as he passed. She looked back and smiled at him and he noticed who exactly she was talking to. "Oh, hey, Fullmetal."

"Hello, Colonel," Alphonse said amicably.

Edward, on the other hand, growled and looked about ready to combust from sheer anger.

"What's with that unpleasant face?" Roy glowered at the boy, then he noticed Winry and changed his tone, smiling at her. 'Charming Mustang' was immediately out at full power. "Oh, what a pretty lady. My name is Roy Mustang, my rank is Colonel. Oh, what, we've met before? Oh you were that friendly little girl back then! You've grown to be so pretty that I didn't recognize you. I bet all the boys chase after you! Just tell me if you need anything, okay?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Edward groaned.

Roy turned his attention back to Edward, smile gone.

"I was transferred to Central a while ago. What're you doing here today?"

"Ah, here to gather information. I wanna gather stuff regarding the philosopher's stone and homunculi."

"Homunculi?" Roy scoffed. "Give me a break. How do you expect to find information about that from the military who restricts human transmutation?"

"Er… that is… um, oh yeah!" Ed's face brightened up, deciding to change the subject. "One more thing. We wanted to say hi to Lieutenant Colonel Hughes. How is he?"

Roy and Riza froze. Riza's eyes fell to the floor, a smile no longer present on her face. Suddenly, Roy's resolve rom earlier faltered. Backed into a corner, he felt like Armstrong. How was he supposed to tell these kids that Hughes was dead? They would blame themselves and they had too much to worry about already without having that guilt added into the mix.

"He's not here," he finally said, earning him a disbelieving look from Riza. "He went back to the countryside," he lied. Was he really doing this? Treating them like the children they were when he hadn't bothered to before? He kept speaking, lies rolling off his tongue before he could stop them. "Recently there's been disturbances in Central. He took his wife and daughter back to the countryside. I heard he's taking over the family business. He's not here anymore."

Riza continued to stare at him, glaring, unable to believe that he was actually lying to these kids. Didn't he realize it would probably be harder to hear about it from someone else? What did he think he was doing?

"I see. That's too bad."

"Well, it is dangerous working for the military after all," Al chimed in.

"Aw, I wanted to see him," Winry whined.

They were all disappointed, but at least they weren't heartbroken. For now.

"Philosopher's stone and homunculi, right?" Roy said, walking past them. "I'll contact you if I find anything on that. Let's go, Lieutenant.

"Yes, sir."

"And, Fullmetal? Don't jump to conclusions and do anything drastic."

Ed seemed confused and shrugged.

"Yeah, whatever."

Mustang and Hawkeye left the boys and Winry behind. Riza gave them a final sad glance before looking back to Roy.

"Why are you suddenly treating him like a child?"

Roy sighed as he and Riza continued walking.

"There's no need for them to know the truth yet. In order for those boys to move forward, the fewer obstacles in their way the better."

Riza frowned.

"Ah, who am I trying to kid?" Roy went on, pausing to look out a window. "I guess I don't have the right to call Major Armstrong 'soft-hearted.'"

 **000000**

A few days later, Riza walked up to Roy's desk with a single sheet of paper. The eyes of all the temporary staff in the office were on her a she slid the paper to Roy.

"What's this?"

"Request for leave," Riza replied, straight faced, voice as steady and firm as ever.

"At this time of year?"

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's fine. I'll permit it."

Riza saluted.

"Thank you very much."

As soon as Riza turned and walked away from Roy's desk, the temporary staff that had been staring quickly turned back to their desks, pretending like they hadn't been listening to the brief conversation. Riza walked to the door calmly, no hint of anything amiss in her expression or movements until she stepped out the door. She paused and slammed the door shut, causing the temporary staff to gasp and most likely come to the conclusion that the lieutenant was mad at the colonel.

Roy smirked at their reactions. His plan was underway and no one would be the wiser.

Two hours after the lieutenant was gone, the colonel was flirting on the phone with a woman. His temporary office staff couldn't believe it.

"Hey, Elizabeth!" Roy exclaimed in a cheery voice, a bright smile lighting up his face. "How are you?"

"Oh, hello Roy," Riza replied, notching her pitch up to match her Elizabeth persona. "Thanks for calling. Are you still at work?"

"Yeah, but I really wanted to hear your voice."

It wasn't a total lie. If Roy were being honest, these fake conversations with 'Elizabeth' had more emotion and truth behind them then he let on. He had a feeling Riza knew, though.

"Oh, aren't you slick. But if you slack off too much, won't that scaaary lieutenant of yours be mad?"

"Don't worry, she's on vacation. I haven't had a moment's rest since I came to Central, so I've been thinking about taking some time off myself."

"Oh? Are you going somewhere?"

"Recently I've been itching to go _fishing_." He smirked and tapped his pen against his finger, turning to look out the window at the slowly setting sun. "Would you like to come?"

Their conversation went on in the same, flirty, seemingly pointless way, never really discussing anything important to an uninformed observer.

"Okay, I'll drop by your shop tomorrow," Roy continued, wondering if she'd understand the underlying meaning. "Do you want me to bring anything?"

"Oh my, thank you! Can you bring something for Kate too? That girl's been working so hard… Oh, excuse me for a moment, Roy. Kate! We have a customer. Could you call Jacqueline for me?"

"Yes Ma'am," came Fuery's voice, higher pitched than normal. Roy smirked. Their code was working out smoothly. "Jacqueline, you have a customer."

After a few minutes, a gunshot rang out and Roy frowned a bit.

"I heard a loud noise. What happened?"

"Nothing to worry about. The customer was being mean to Jacqueline so I slapped him."

Roy raised his brow.

"You're as strict as ever… Elizabeth. Your shop seems busy, should I hang up?"

"That's all right, you seem busy too."

"Not really," Roy replied with a grin. "I can take it easy thanks to my _capable subordinate_."

Ah inside jokes and blatant flirting. It was almost fun. If only Roy wasn't worried about his team. The thought that something could go wrong at any moment sat in the back of his mind and he didn't like being so far away while his team was in potential danger.

"What's going on now?" Roy asked again. Riza had gone silent for a moment and silence almost worried him more than the sounds of fighting.

"It looks like an argument. Jacqueline is having some trouble with a customer."

"Some customers just don't appreciate good service."

"Tell me about it…" Riza sensed something behind her as she looked through the scope of her rifle. It sent chills down her spine, a foreboding sense of danger lighting up her sniper instincts. "Uh oh, I'll have to call you back. I have a customer too."

Riza spun and shot the hulking figure as it approached her from the shadows. She reloaded and shot twice more, hitting it in the forehead and shoulder. Though she hit its vitals, somehow the thing was still able to move, its wounds regenerating before her very eyes. Her eyes grew wide in alarm as the huge, fat man stood, towering over her. Roy's voice sounded over the headset she dropped, panic creeping into his tone.

"Elizabeth? Hey! Pick up!" More gunshots sounded and Roy shook, eyes widening in fear. All he could see in his mind was a bloody phone booth. Riza was in trouble. He was in danger of losing someone precious. It was happening all over again, but this time he could hear it.

He slammed the receiver down and flew out of the office, not caring that anyone saw, not caring that they were all murmuring about him. His only thought was saving Riza. He made it to his car in record time and sped toward Riza's location.

"Damnit! _Please_ let me make it in time!"

Flooring the gas, he drove even more recklessly than ever before. He would make it. He would rescue her. He would save his team. He _had_ to.


	36. Lab 3

Thank you so much to everyone that's reviewed! It means so much to me and keeps me motivated to continue writing. Your feedback is everything to me.

Sorry for taking so long to update this time. Thank you for being so patient! If you follow me on Tumblr, you know the last few months have been stressful and chaotic for me. My mental health has been on a steady decline and my writing has suffered for it. I'm feeling a little better though so I'll try my best to get back to updating more frequently again.

I've also been busy working on my original novel that I am currently publishing on P atreon so that's taken up a lot of my writing time as well. It's a story that's been in the works for over fifteen years. It means a lot to me and I'd like to keep my focus on that whenever possible, so when the mood strikes, I may choose to write for that instead of fanfiction until my novel is complete. I have not forgotten about this fic or Beyond the Veil though. I will continue to write my fics as well, but potentially at a slower pace.

 **000000**

Red light crackled around Gluttony's wounds, each bullet hole closing within seconds. No matter how many vital points Riza hit with deadly accuracy, it all proved futile. The hulking homunculus held her off the ground by her throat as she continued to struggle and fire bullet after bullet into its skull. She grit her teeth as Gluttony's hold on her neck tightened and the click click click of her gun's trigger indicated she was out of ammo. She dropped her hand to her side and the gun fell to the ground with a clatter.

This was it. This was how she was going to die. She would no longer be able to protect Roy. But at least he would live. He would not be incriminated for what they were doing here. He would go on, working toward their goal without her, and that was enough for her.

"That's it, right?" Gluttony spoke, a grin cracking his round face. "All done? Then it's time to eat!"

Rize cringed as Gluttony opened his grotesquely large mouth. A strange symbol on its tongue caught her eye briefly before she slammed her eyes closed, ready for the creature to bite her.

A growl and an angry bark sounded behind Gluttony and Riza's eyes shot open to see Hayate leap at Gluttony.

"Hayate?!"

Her dog sank its teeth into Gluttony's shoulder and the homunculus dropped Riza to try to swat at the puppy attacking it.

"Oooh that tickles. Such a bother."

Riza stayed low and dodged past Gluttony, one of her hands coming up to rub at her sore neck. She reached the wall near the exit and pushed her back against it, coughing and trying to catch her breath.

"Lieutenant!"

Riza looked out the door to see Fuery racing toward her, throwing a handgun her way. She snatched it from the air and stood, taking aim. Fuery and Riza fired on Gluttony as Hayate leapt aside. The room filled with the deafening sounds of gunfire as they emptied their handguns into Gluttony. Just as before, all the wounds they inflicted on it made no difference. Gluttony smiled at them, healing itself as soon as Fuery and Riza ran out of ammo and stopped firing.

"What's wrong? Bullets run out? Goodie! Time to eat!"

 **000000**

Roy screeched to a stop at the curb near the entrance to the building in which he knew Riza, Fuery, and Hayate were. He practically dove out of the car and raced into the building and up the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him. The sound of gunfire faded as he got closer to the top and he feared the worst. Until a bark followed a minute later by more gunshots reached his ears. _Someone_ was still fighting. That meant he might have made it in time.

' _Please be okay,'_ he thought, hoping with all his might that they were unharmed. ' _Just hold on. I'm almost there! I won't let anyone else die before me!'_

He reached the top floor and rounded the corner just as the gunfire faded again. He tore down the hall and stopped in the doorway to find Riza and Fuery, out of ammo, with little Hayate standing in front of them, trying to protect them.

He lifted his right hand and aimed at the giant thing standing in front of the window. His alchemy crackled in the air, transmutation circle on his glove lighting up as he snapped. His flames shot forth and Gluttony was blasted back through the brick wall as the explosion hit it.

Riza's eyes widened when she turned and saw Roy's gloved hand hanging in the air next to her.

"C- Colonel?!"

Roy let out a breath of relief, as did Fuery. Fuery walked over to the hole in the wall, Hayate at his side, and he looked down at the smoldering rubble where Gluttony landed.

"Who the heck was that fat guy?" he wondered, turning back to Roy and Riza. "Lieutenant, are you hurt?"

"Why did you come here, sir?!" Riza cried and Fuery and Hayate stepped back in surprise at her sudden outburst. "Our lives are insignificant, sir! If you just let us die here, you could have pleaded ignorance of this whole affair, but now you've outed yourself to the enemy! Sir, are you a complete idiot?!"

Roy leaned away from her and stuck a finger in his ear that was now ringing from her scolding. Sure, what she was saying might have been true, but there was no way he would ever sacrifice her or any of his team so easily like that. She had to know that. Especially not after what happened to Hughes. He would never let such a thing happen again if he could help it.

"Okay, okay," he said, trying to placate her. "I get it, I'm an idiot!"

"Out target is moving, sir," Fuery said.

"Okay, good. The 'nest' is clear." Roy pointed at Fuery. "Sergeant Major! Begin recovery! Don't leave even a scrap of trash behind!"

"Y… yes, sir!"

Riza pointed to Hayate.

"Hayate! Don't leave his side!"

The dog sat at attention and barked.

Roy and Riza descended the stairs and exited the building.

"Lieutenant," Roy said without looking back as he stepped down the last of the stairs toward his car. He was trying to sound commanding, but Riza heard the underlying softness in his voice.

"Yes, sir?"

"I'm glad you're alive."

He had been worried. More than he let on. Though his actions that evening were certainly reckless, after what happened to Hughes, how could she blame him?

"I'm sorry to have worried you, sir."

 **000000**

Roy, Riza, Havoc, and Alphonse followed Barry the Chopper as he chased his body to Lab Three, one of Central's main alchemy research facilities. Barry's body, apparently controlled by some kind of animal's soul, disappeared into the jail and Roy was ready to let it go and call it a night. They had mostly accomplished what they'd set out to do and he wasn't about to put his team in any more danger. Unfortunately, Barry had other plans.

"All right, we know where he's hiding," Roy said, ready to go back to the car. "That's all we need for now. We're pulling back."

Barry ran out from around the corner they were hiding behind, cackling like a madman.

"Hey!" Jean hissed. "Get back here!" Barry wasn't listening and disappeared through the gates to the building. "That bastard's completely lost his mind!"

"No, this is convenient," Roy muttered, earning himself a dumbfounded look from Havoc. He strode at a quick pace after Barry, Riza and Havoc right behind. Pulling out his gun, he entered Lab Three. The employee's inside were murmuring and gasping, confused about the sudden interruption of their routine. "Listen up! We're in pursuit of a murderer who fled into this building! All personnel must evacuate immediately!"

One of the military guards stationed at the lab ran up to Roy and saluted.

"Sir! What's going on?"

"You heard about the incident at the penitentiary earlier today? We pursued the perpetrator here. Leave the murderer to us! Have your men bar the exits!"

"Yes, sir!"

Another young soldier ran up and saluted.

"Shall I call for reinforcements sir?"

"I've already called them!" Roy replied, getting irritated by the interruptions. "Now watch those exits!"

"When did you call for reinforcements?" Al asked as they moved away from the panic of the employees as they scrambled to get out of the building.

"I lied," Roy deadpanned, ending the conversation.

Walking further into the building, and down a flight of stairs, a chained off door caught Havoc's eye and he alerted the colonel.

"Hey, Colonel!" he called, gaining Roy's attention.

Before anyone said a word, Al stepped over to the door, clapping and transmuting the lock open. The door swung open to reveal another flight of stairs. They began their descent in silence, Havoc and Riza in front with their guns drawn and at the ready. The air was thick with must and the scent of decay. Everything was covered in cobwebs and a layer of dust from disuse. Roy looked up and down the dingy hallways before he turned to Riza and spoke.

"Which way did Barry go?"

"Should we split into two groups, sir?"

Roy nodded at Riza's suggestion.

"Very well. But don't stray too far. Report back if you see any sign of him."

"Yes, sir."

Roy and Havoc disappeared down one dark corridor and Riza and Al turned to search down the other.

"Lieutenant," Al said and Riza stopped walking, turning to him. "I'm not getting in the way of the mission, am I?"

"Not at all. Your alchemy is really coming in handy." Riza smiled and pat Al's armor. "I'll be counting on you if there's something that we soldiers can't handle."

Al appeared as flustered as a suit of armor could, rubbing the back of his helmet.

"Oh… Yes, ma'am."

They walked in silence, the echo of Al's armor clanging with each step bounced off the walls. He tried to keep as silent as possible so they could listen for any sounds of Barry or anyone else that could be down there with them. Riza didn't seem to mind the slight noise, though. Her sniper's training kept her focused, gun held out in front of her, ears and eyes open and sifting through every little noise from the scurrying of rats to the dripping from the corroded pipes above them. She wondered if Barry had perhaps gone the other way, until she found traces of blood.

Before she could speak up about it, a loud explosion shook the walls. Riza and Al whipped around to stare down the tunnel.

"What was that sound?" Al wondered aloud.

A worried knot formed in Riza's gut. She bit the inside of her lip and warred with herself for a moment about whether or not she should run back and see if the colonel was all right. She quickly decided to keep moving forward with Al. Roy could take care of himself and Havoc was with him. He didn't need her to protect him all the time. She ignored the noise and Al's question and refocused on the mission.

"Barry went this way," Riza said, turning back to follow the drips of blood on the floor.

A minute's walk later, the dark corridor opened up to a brightly lit, stark white room. On the far wall, an intricate transmutation array was engraved into the stone. Riza and Al's eyes fell on the large figure standing beneath it. Barry stood over his old body, his hatchet as bloody as his body was.

"You sure took your time, babe," Barry spoke, turning to Riza slowly.

Riza cringed as she and Al stepped closer into the room toward Barry. She covered her nose with her hand.

"What's that stench?"

"Heh heh heh, I'm sorry you had to see that," Barry replied. "What a waste of meat. My body's all rotten."

The sound of high heels clacking on the cement alerted the group to a new presence entering the room. Riza aimed her gun immediately at the dark haired woman that walked in.

A dark chuckle rumbled in Barry's metal chest at the sight of Lust.

"'Bout time you showed up, Lusty."

Lust practically growled, eyes narrowing as she seethed.

"Number sixty six! I see… so they used you as bait and I fell for it. Why did you help the colonel?"

"What can I say!" Barry laughed. "I gotta be me! I never wanted to live my life, such as it is, kissing up to your freaks and hiding in the shadows! But even when I escaped after Lab Five fell I had to keep a low profile so you wouldn't find me. The only way I can be free is if you're all dead. But above all… I want to chop you up!"

Lust sighed.

"Tsk, what am I going to do with you? And _you_ , Armor Boy…" Lust turned her attention to Al. "You just had to tag along with the big boys. Now you leave me no choice. Killing two human sacrifice candidates in once night is a setback."

"Human sacrifice?" Al repeated.

"That's right," Lust answered with a smirk. "You and another."

"HEY LADY!" Barry cut in. "Stop chit chattin' with the help! The next words to come from your pretty mouth, Lusty, will be you last!"

Barry dove at breakneck speed toward Lust, his hatchet raised high, a gleeful, murderous glint in his glowing eyes. Lust wasn't even phased. She lifted her arm casually. Her claws extended toward Barry in a blur of motion and he halted, the sound of metal being sliced filling the air.

"Huh?"

"I hate rude men."

Confusion didn't even have time to set in before Barry's armor shattered, crumbling in a heap on the floor at Lust's feet.

"Now," Lust said, stepping over the pieces of Barry's armor, gaze fixed on Al and Riza. Riza cocked her gun. "Who wants to go first. Armor Boy? Or maybe the lieutenant? You seem like the _loyal_ type. Very soon I'll send you to join your commanding officer."

Riza's eyes widened at Lust's words. Understanding crossed her features and ice filled her veins. No, it couldn't be.

"Wait. You said 'two human sacrifices in one night.' It can't be… it can't be…"

Lust's cruel smirk widened immensely and Al and Riza felt the horrible truth down to their core with just that one look.

That was all it took to send Riza into a frenzy. How easy it was to break her. If she had been able to think with any amount of coherency she would have been disgusted with herself, but her mind was filled with despair. It was over. Everything they'd worked for. Her hopes, her dreams, her reason for living. If he was dead, it all died with him. There was no point anymore. They had failed. She had failed him.

"Why… WHY YOU-" Riza screamed, a gut wrenching sound that pierced the air as it tore through her, manifesting her rage and anguish. She began firing her gun with a deadly accuracy that even she did not know she possessed. She dropped each empty gun to the ground, grabbing another in an instant, shooting in a never ending stream of bullets. Yet they did nothing to the monster called Lust who looked almost bored as each bullet sank into her flesh.

When the last bullet left its chamber, Riza grit her teeth, clicking the trigger over and over, willing her gun to somehow regenerate ammunition.

"Are you finished?" Lust's bullet wounds began healing themselves in crackling red light, just as Gluttony's had.

Finally, Riza lowered her gun in defeat, raising her head as tears streamed down her face. She dropped to her knees and wept, no longer caring about what Lust would do to her.


End file.
